WASHINGTON — Need an MRI scan? Tell the doctor if you use a nicotine patch or any other medication patch — or you’ll risk a burn during the MRI.
Patches that ooze medication slowly through the skin are becoming more popular, from nicotine patches to patches that deliver estrogen, pain medication, Parkinson’s drugs, even an anti-nausea drug for chemotherapy recipients.
More than a fourth of the 60 different drug patches sold contain traces of aluminum or other metals, said Dr. Sandra Kweder, the Food and Drug Administration’s deputy drug director. You can’t see the metal; the patch even may appear completely clear. But affected patches contain just enough metal to conduct electricity, meaning they can overheat during an MRI and cause a skin burn similar to a bad sunburn.
On Thursday, the FDA issued a public health advisory: Tell your doctor about any medication patches so the professional can decide whether any should be removed before an MRI, how soon before the scan and when it can be reapplied. The Associated Press
