Re: Titanium clips used during prostatectomy surgery?

[Guest guest]

>

> Do they use clips for RP? I never thought to ask. If they do can

you have an MRI? I'm surprised my surgeon never said anything. I will

have to ask him next time I go.

> Rick

Looking through my old notes, I found a reference from a radiologist

who stated that once Brachytherapy seeds were implanted, the patient

could no longer use MRI diagnostics. However, upon doing further

research, I found that if titanium metal is used, this is not the

case. Titanium is non-magnetic, and therefore will not be heated nor

pulled from the body by the high level magnetic fields produced

during an MRI procedure.

What happens though, is that the titanium reflections " light up " the

MRI images like a christmas tree. Subtle soft-tissue abnormalities

may be missed.

The videos of RP procedures I have viewed, do not show the use of

Titanium clips, only alot of surgical cautery. This " hot cutting

leaves your insides looking barbequed. :-) A friend of mine, who had

a RP and who later needed an MRI, did see a number of titanium clips

on his MRI scans.

Best thing to do is to check with your doctor.

Ron

[Guest guest]

Ron,

My reason for asking is that my mother and father both had cerebral aneurysms(another time bomb in my closet) and surgery to repair them in which they used clips. They both carry cards(only my mother my dad passed away) after that warning of "NO MRI".

Maybe these are not the same type of clips that they use in the pelvis? I will ask my surgeon the next time I talk to him.

Thanks for the info.

Rick

Re: Titanium clips used during prostatectomy surgery?

>> Do they use clips for RP? I never thought to ask. If they do can you have an MRI? I'm surprised my surgeon never said anything. I will have to ask him next time I go.> RickLooking through my old notes, I found a reference from a radiologist who stated that once Brachytherapy seeds were implanted, the patient could no longer use MRI diagnostics. However, upon doing further research, I found that if titanium metal is used, this is not the case. Titanium is non-magnetic, and therefore will not be heated nor pulled from the body by the high level magnetic fields produced during an MRI procedure.What happens though, is that the titanium

reflections "light up" the MRI images like a christmas tree. Subtle soft-tissue abnormalities may be missed.The videos of RP procedures I have viewed, do not show the use of Titanium clips, only alot of surgical cautery. This "hot cutting leaves your insides looking barbequed. :-) A friend of mine, who had a RP and who later needed an MRI, did see a number of titanium clips on his MRI scans.Best thing to do is to check with your doctor.Ron

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Found this on the web:

Effect on biomedical implants or devices Patients who have metal

fillings, ferromagnetic clips or pins in their body, neurostimulators,

defibrillators and cochlear implants cannot be imaged with MR.

Ferromagnetic metal implants or foreign bodies can be twisted and

pulled by the force of magnets and cut or seriously damage surrounding

tissues. Nor can patients using pacemakers be imaged because a strong

magnetic field can induce currents in the pacemaker circuitry that

cause it to fail and possibly cause death. However, most implantable

devices are now made of titanium or other metals that allow MRI

examination without causing injury to the patient.

6.1 The number of patients for whom MRI is absolutely contraindicated

is quite small, and is mostly limited to those with heart pacemakers,

certain kinds of aneurysm clip and those who may have an intra-orbital

metallic foreign body. Clips etc. manufactured from titanium or

tantalum are MRI-saf