Question:
Does MRI rip out staples?

My girlfriend had to have lung surgery w/staples and she said to ask if the staples they use today would be affected by the MRI machine.If they are then every one should be awhare of this.She said that if she had one that the staples would rip out.We need to find the correct answer to this.    — [Anonymous] (posted on April 5, 2000)

April 5, 2000
I was told that if I ever require an MRI, I should tell them ahead of time that I have internal staples. They didn't say anything about the staples ripping out. That sounds far-fetched to me. I do wonder what the real reason is. Lots of people have staples from one surgery or other, so it can't be uncommon for this to come up.
   — Lynn K.

April 5, 2000
I was told by BTC, and it is in my book , that staples would not set off a metal detector,like at the airport, and that staples would show on any type of x-ray, and that I should tell doctor ahead of time. I would think this would be the reason with the MRI. This ripping out thing sounds really off the wall.
   — C S.

April 5, 2000
It's my understanding that the staples interfere with a clear and useful MRI. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The magnetic image is hampered by the presence of metal in the body.
   — s M.

April 5, 2000
My doc said my staples were made of titanium and wouldn't be "snagged out" or anything. I don't know if this is the standard but I expect so. Lou Ann
   — Lou Ann J.

April 6, 2000
I have had an MRI and I have a couple of staples in me, I was never told they would affect MRI`s,The tech`s had no problom reading the MRI either. but I only have a couple,that may make a differance, I dont know.
   — nancy T.

April 6, 2000
Please...think. The keyword here is -magnetic-. Titanium is -not- magnetic. Stainless steel stitches, in my case, is -not- magnetic. What generates the magnetic field when you have an MRI is not iron but the short-acting radioisotope they inject you with.
   — blank first name B.