[Effects of the magnetic field in magnetic resonance imaging on 15 tested cardiac valve prostheses].

The effects of static magnetic fields used in MR imaging at 0.5 Tesla have been studied on 15 different types of cardiac valves. The displacement of the valves was insignificant at 0.5 Tesla. No significant heating effects was observed with the standard sequences used in cardiac imaging. The image artefacts remain confined to the area immediately surrounding these different valves. It seems possible to perform MRI examinations on patient with the prosthetic heart valves without any risk.