Objective: At our tertiary cardiothoracic centre, cardiac MRI and thoracic CT scans are performed in patients with implanted LINQ devices. The degree of foreign body artefact associated with the LINQ device, and its clinical importance, has not previously been assessed. A case series review was therefore performed with a simultaneous review of patient safety and data loss events, secondary to the MRI environment.
Methods: A local database search identified LINQ device patients who underwent thoracic CT or cardiac MRI scans between March 2014 and December 2016. Images were reviewed by two radiologists, recording the presence of subcutaneous and intrathoracic artefact, and its clinical significance. Furthermore a specialist in cardiac rhythm management reviewed all LINQ data downloads undertaken before and after MRI scanning, and a search of the trust incident reporting system was performed.
Results: Minor subcutaneous artefact was present on all scans. Intrathoracic artefact was observed in 25.6% of thoracic CT scans and 33.3% of cardiac MRIs; however no clinically significant artefact was observed. Device downloads were only performed by 53.8% of patients prior to their MRI scan and 56.5% after their MRI scan. No adverse patient safety or data loss events were noted.
Conclusion: The LINQ device does not produce clinically significant artefact, even when artefact extends into the intrathoracic space, which occurs in a third of MRIs and a quarter of CTs. MRI scanning of the LINQ device is safe with no evidence of inappropriate data loss. Advances in knowledge: This is the first published case series of CT and MRI scanning in LINQ patients and the first performed quantification of artefact related to the LINQ device.