Patients with implant devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators have long had to live with the fact that the devices that keep their hearts beating correctly are not MRI-friendly. Essentially, MRIs cause the devices to overheat or to operate irregularly. However, new experiments are under way to establish safe ways to conduct MRI scans on these patients, and new pacemakers are being tested that are not negatively impacted by MRIs, the Associated Press reports. Researchers at companies and universities are trying different approaches. Medtronic is awaiting FDA go-ahead to test a pacemaker constructed to be MRI-compatible. University of Pittsburgh researchers will soon test a shield approach so that the MRI hits nothing besides its target.

More: http://www.newsday.com/news/health/wire/sns-ap-healthbeat-mris--pacemakers,0,2604683.story?coll=sns-ap-health-headlines