Tattoos shouldn’t prohibit MRI scan

Q: I have several tattoos and broke my arm. My doc wants me to have an MRI. Is it safe considering the metals in tattoo inks?

Linda H., Oakland, California

A: The heavy metals found in the inks are (among others) lead, copper, zinc, chrome, arsenic, cadmium, barium, manganese, nickel, chromium and mercury.

The more colorful your tattoo, the wider the variety of heavy metals in the ink

here are a couple of possible, but rare, side effects from an MRI on tattooed skin.

But they shouldn’t stop you from getting the scan.

Most problems come in the form of first-degree (superficial) burns, and if you feel a burning sensation happening to you, you can press the hand-held signaling device they give you and stop the scan.

Tingling in the skin has also been reported, but none of these side effects were permanent.

Women who have tattooed-on eyeliner should be very careful, however, and be aware of these possible side effects.

The other problem with tattoo inks and an MRI is that the tattoos can contain pigments that are ferrous, and therefore magnetic.

This can interfere with the readability of the scan.

It’s not good news for the multitudes of professional athletes who plaster themselves with tats and then spend a fair amount of time during their playing careers getting MRIs, nor for anyone else who participates in an injury-prone profession or sport.

In general, it’s interesting to note that simply having tattoos indicates that you may engage in risky behaviors.

Even so, the biggest health risks of tattoos come from the inks themselves.

The Journal of Environmental Protection points out that exposure to tattoo ink metals “has been linked to tremors, liver damage, memory loss, cognitive loss and even death.”

The smart move is to leave the toxic inks for your printer. But if you have a tat and need an MRI, go ahead and get it.