Q: 67 year old female admitted to ICU with CVA. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI has been ordered by Neurology intern. Patient's family informed you that she has dental fillings as well as you saw metal dental braces during exam?


Answer:   MRI does not harm patients with dental fillings and metal braces but it causes image degradation due to artifacts caused by the braces, fillings and wires which appear like a black hole on the image. This is particularly important while scanning  neck, brain or facial area. So it is advisable to remove them if MRI is desired for these areas, but not for chest or lower body areas.