Effects of magnetic resonance imaging fields on stapedectomy prostheses.

Seven different types of widely used metallic stapedectomy prostheses were individually placed on a millimeter scale in a plastic Petri dish. The Petri dish was moved within the core and around the magnet of a 1.5-tesla magnetic resonance imaging unit (General Electric Sigma). No movement of any of the prostheses was seen. We conclude that there is no apparent danger of these prostheses becoming displaced in stapedectomy patients subjected to the electromagnetic fields of magnetic resonance imaging units.