Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
If you are one of the millions of Americans who
wear a patch on their skin that can dispense drugs to
treat everything from menopause to nicotine
addiction...the Food and Drug Administration has a
warning for you.
"Today a lot of people are wearing patches to deliver
medication, either over the counter meds or
prescription drugs and that's a great way to get
your medicines, but some of the patches contain
metal.
And when you go and have an MRI,
that can heat up and actually burn the skin."
"It would be like a sunburn,
it's probably in some patients,
it's probably not serious at all,
but there is at least a theoretical potential for
a more serious like a grade two burn."
Many of these so called trans-dermal patches do
not include a warning label.
Even though many of the patches have a metal
backing that sometimes consumers cannot see.
"Even clear patches, though,
that look like they are just made out of
transparent film may have metal ions in them and
could cause a problem in the machine so you have to
be sure."
So how can one be sure?
First the FDA recommends that you talk to your
health care provider or pharmacist and find out if
your patch has a metal in it.
If you are not sure, plan to take the patch off
before you have an MRI.
Dr Marks?
Yes.
I have a patient that's scheduling on the phone.
He has a Clamadin patch.
Yes a Clamadin patch, let him know he may have to
remove the patch before the examination and then
put it back on.
Most MRI scanning facilities have forms
asking if the patient is wearing a transdermal
patch.
As well as technicians trained to ask...
Just a minute Robert, you have on a patch.
We're going to have to remove that before you go
in...
And what about using the patch after the MRI scan???
"Everyone should also check with their
pharmacist or their physician on what to do
after they take your patch off and they come out of
the MRI.
Can they put a dose, another patch right back
on or do they need to wait?
It becomes a little complicated but better to
be safe than to be burned."