The safety form before an MRI asks a long list of questions, and several of them tend to make people pause. Most of the answers turn out to be reassuring.
Tattoos
Most modern tattoo inks are safe in MRI. Newer pigments use very little iron, so warming is uncommon.
The rare cases of warming or mild burning have been linked to older inks or inks high in iron oxide. If you notice heat over a tattoo during the scan, tell the radiographer right away. They can pause, place a cold compress over a large tattoo before the next sequence, or adjust the scan.
Permanent makeup, like tattoo eyeliner or microbladed eyebrows, follows the same advice. Mention it on the safety form. Problems are rare.
IUDs
Both copper and plastic IUDs are MRI-safe with no special precautions. They do not need to be removed before the scan.
The only thing to do is declare it on the safety form. The team likes to know what is in your body before the scanner does.
Dental work
Most dental work is MRI-safe:
- Amalgam and composite fillings
- Crowns
- Most modern dental implants
Fixed braces are usually safe but can distort images in nearby areas. That matters mainly for scans of the brain, neck, jaw, or TMJ. Your radiographer will know whether the image quality will be affected.
Removable items, including retainers and dentures, should come out before the scan.
Other items worth declaring
A few other things often show up on the safety form. Mention them even if you think they do not matter:
- Piercings — remove what you can. Body piercings in particular can heat up during long scans.
- Hair extensions — some weave-in, beaded, or clip-in extensions contain small metal parts. Declare them.
- Eye makeup — some mascaras and eyeliners contain iron oxide. Remove eye makeup before a scan that involves the head.
- Surgical clips and stents — most modern clips and stents are MRI-safe, but the team needs the model or implant card so they can check.
None of these need to derail your scan. They just need to be known.
A practical close
When in doubt, declare it. The team would rather hear about something on the form than discover it on the scan or, worse, deal with it during the sequence. A short conversation at check-in is almost always all it takes.