FDA warns on CT risks to electronic medical devices

Getting a CT scan could result in adverse consequences for patients with insulin pumps, cardiac implantable electronic devices and neurostimulators, according to a new report form the FDA.

The federal watchdog said it received a small number of reports of adverse events related to CT imaging in patients with implantable and wearable electronic devices.

The FDA said that when a CT scanner directly irradiates the circuitry of certain implantable or wearable electronic medical devices, it can cause enough electronic interference to affect the function of the devices.

The agency said that while this can lead to malfunctions, the probability of significant adverse events is “extremely low,” and the probability of x-ray electronic interference becomes lower as radiation doses are reduced.

The FDA labeled the risk of adverse events as low and advised healthcare providers that the presence of devices that could possibly experience interference should not preclude medically indicated CT scans, as the chance of adverse events is extremely low and is greatly outweighed by the clinical benefit of CT scans.

The federal watchdog asked that any adverse events be reported directly to them, and provided recommendations related to each specific device that could result in an adverse event.

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