Do red tattoos heat up in MRI machines?

Question

I've heard stories about red tattoo ink heating up painfully when someone gets an MRI. Has anyone experienced this?

Answer 1

I have completed nearly 5,800 studies on the MRI machine I am currently using. I have never had a patient complain about their tattoos heating up. There are very few cases of this happening, and it is usually from tattoos which were done many years ago. The ink used back then contained more metal than today's ink. Most reports of tattoos heating up are from cosmetic tattoos (eyeliner). For some reason, they contain more metal. I still have never had a patient with these tattoos complain of pain. I also have 4 tattoos and I am exposed to the magnetic field daily, and mine have never heated up. When you have a MRI, you fill out a questionaire regarding metal in your body (pacemaker, aneurysm clips in your brain, cochlear implants, etc). This is reviewed by the technologist, in order to be sure a MRI study is safe for you. I have never seen the question, "do you have any tattoos?" Although, my facility does ask if a patient has permanent make up. For those patients who do have eye tattoos, we warn them that VERY RARELY the ink can heat up. They are instructed to speak up if they feel this sensation so we can pause the study and apply ice packs to the eyes. I have never once had to stop a MRI study to apply ice packs.

"Well, it appears that about 20 years ago and further, tattoo ink was sometimes comprised of small fragments of metal as well as other ingredients. This was long before tattoos were ever regulated and before more serious thought was given as to the safety of tattoo ink ingredients. Some MRI patients who have had tattoos that dated back far enough to have received ink that contained metal bits have reported slight discomfort to severe pain during an MRI scan."

http://tattoo.about.com/cs/tatfaq/a/mri_scan.htm

"There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects."

http://www.everytattoo.com/healthrisks.shtml

"A survey of 135 patients with cosmetic tattoos who underwent MRI showed that only two of them had minor transient complications of tingling or burning sensations, which did not interfere with the procedure. Applying cool compresses or ice packs over the tattoos has been suggested to counteract the MRI-induced heating."

http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/183/2/541

Answer 2

I have been a MRI technologist for over 25 years. The only thing you need to worry about are the ingredients of the ink used. The FDA did not regulate tattooing ink and some home made inks(black) were made with metallic substances. With stronger MRI units it can become a concern and I have seen the effects. You will know shortly after starting the exam if you are at risk. Most often a wet wash cloth over the tat will get the job done. If a facility refuses to scan a patient with tattoos don't get mad at the technologist, thank a lawyer!

Answer 3

The second respondent is right on the money. Red generally is not the culprit though, to answer the question. Iron oxides are common in many inks and a concentration of them can cause some discomfort during an MRI. Many MRI facilities ask about tattooing prior to the study.

These inks are very common in the cosmetic tattoo arena for many reasons but mainly for the color availability. Rarely do any tattoos cause problems other than eyeliner tattooing and even that is extremely rare. I have several tattoos myself, including cosmetic, and of all different colors and have never experienced a problem when I have had an MRI - none of our clients have reported them, either.

Edit notes:
Thank you Lissacal for your expert opinion on this matter. It is interesting that you say that your intake form doesn't ask about tattoos (permanent makeup is tattooing as you know).

Most places that my clients and those of my associates have gone to do ask about that. Unfortunately some absolutely refuse to conduct MRI if they have eyeliner tattooing. Ridiculous - they even tell the clients it will burn their eyelids off. I was very happy to hear how many you have conducted without incident.

Just for your own information - it is not that cosmetic tattoo pigments contain more iron oxides than body work, body tattoo ink is generally carbon based blacks, therefore not ferromagnetic. Eyeliner done with these blacks tend to migrate.

Regarding your links, it is interesting that the study that the group I am affiliated with funded was the top reference to that article.

Answer 4

That is a myth. The stories are only stories. Tattoos of any kind don't contain enough metal (if they do) to cause a reaction in MRIs or any other scanning machine based on magnets just because of that. I suppose a full body suit of inks with metal could do it but that would be the extreme.

Answer 5

the only kind of tattoos that heat up in an MRI xray machine are those that contain metal.MRI are really just big magnetics, some very old tattoos use to contain some metals. Ask your Tattoo artist if their ink contained any metal

Answer 6

My boyfriend has a lot of tattoos, and when he went for an MRI, the nurse told him that his tattoos might feel like they're on fire when he's getting the MRI done. My boyfriend said his tattoos all felt like they were on fire!

Answer 7

It matters what is in your ink. Ask your tattoo artist if iron oxide pigments are in the ink- they sometimes react with MRI pulses.

Answer 8

lol, this was on MythBusters awhile ago.

Apparently there is no reaction between the two.

Answer 9

Oh my yes, and unicorns will come to save you from all harm.
At least that's what the Leprechauns told me....and trolls told
them.

Answer 10

No.