Arizona Heart Hospital is the first in the state to conduct a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of a patient implanted with an Accent MRI Pacemaker and Tendril MRI Lead.
Cardiac pacemakers are used to help treat abnormal heart rhythms by monitoring the heart and providing electrical stimulation when the heart beat is irregular. Pacemaker patients are typically discouraged from receiving MRI scans because the pacing system may be affected during the scan. MRI is often a preferred diagnostic tool for some medical conditions such as cancer, stroke, spine and neurological disorders that may not be adequately visualized using other imaging methods.
The Accent MRI Pacemaker and Tendril MRI Lead, developed by St. Jude Medical, are designed to be MRI-compatible, allowing a patient to undergo a full body MRI scan. The pacemaker offers advanced wireless communications and programming algorithms to help address individual patient conditions. The device can easily initiate MRI settings and be quickly restored to its original settings after the scan is complete.
