I often hear the common, yet urban legend-like, question: "Can you get an MRI if you have tattoos?" When I tried searching online, I found conflicting information, with some sources saying yes and others no, making it all very ambiguous. This time, I will share my personal experience after conducting an investigation!
The Relationship Between Tattoos and MRI Scans. What is an MRI Scan?
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is an examination where you enter a cylindrical device made of a powerful magnet, and the magnetic force is used to photograph cross-sectional images of organs and blood vessels inside the body. Since it does not use radiation, there is no concern about exposure. Of course, there is no pain. Depending on the disease, some conditions can only be detected by MRI, making it an indispensable technology in modern medicine. You cannot undergo an MRI scan if you have an MRI-incompatible metal implanted in your body, such as a cardiac pacemaker or a cochlear implant.
Why are people with tattoos prohibited from having MRI scans?
It is said that if tattoo pigments contain metal, they can react to the magnetic field emitted during an MRI scan, causing the tattooed area to heat up. This carries a risk of burns or discoloration of the tattoo, and can also interfere with the image quality.
Do tattoo inks contain metal?
Modern tattoo inks are increasingly metal-free. However, some inks may contain metallic substances, such as titanium dioxide (a highly safe substance also used in food and cosmetics).
I asked a medical institution
I contacted a medical institution that conducts health check-ups, including MRI scans, as I needed to undergo an MRI myself.
Medical Institution ①: Health Check-up Center
Conclusion: Not possible
I made a reservation online at a health check-up center in Tokyo. Later, I was prompted by email to complete a pre-examination web questionnaire, which included a question about the presence of tattoos. After answering "Yes," I received a call from the medical institution.
They stated, "Individuals with tattoos cannot undergo MRI scans 'at our facility'. If you wish to have a health check-up excluding the MRI scan, it is possible."
When I inquired about the reason, they replied that although they understand the possibility is low, in the unlikely event of symptoms like burns, they do not have a resident doctor who can provide treatment due to the nature of being a health check-up center, and thus cannot respond to such situations.
Medical Institution ②: Clinic specializing in examinations and diagnoses
Conclusion: Possible
When I called a clinic in Tokyo to make an appointment, I asked if having tattoos would be an issue. They kindly explained that they use an MRI machine with relatively weak magnets, which lowers the risk of burns and other issues. They also said that they provide an emergency buzzer to patients during the examination to notify them if they feel any heat. They stated that there have been no past cases of problems, but acknowledged hearing about instances of tattoo discoloration, and asked for my understanding. Of course, I agreed, and my appointment was confirmed.
I had an MRI scan (May 2025)
I underwent an MRI scan at the clinic I had booked.
During the pre-examination consultation, the doctor in charge explained, in addition to asking if I had claustrophobia, that "all patients will undergo the examination with an emergency buzzer within reach. If you experience an emergency, including heat from your tattoo, please notify us using the buzzer."
I asked again if there had been any actual cases where tattoos affected the examination. They said that while there haven't been any such cases at their clinic, they had heard of instances where iron oxide in tattoos heated up in the past. They didn't know the exact time or details of these cases, only that they had heard about them "a long time ago." It seemed that both the doctor and technicians perceived the risk of heating to be low and considered it an unnecessary concern with modern tattoos.
My examination proceeded smoothly, and I completed it without feeling any heat in the tattooed areas.
Can you get an MRI scan if you have tattoos?
Conclusion: Possible, but depends on the judgment of the doctor and medical institution
It is possible to undergo an MRI scan even with tattoos. However, since this can depend on the doctor and medical institution, prior consultation is necessary.
According to the Japan Association of Radiological Technologists, the decision regarding MRI scans for individuals with tattoos is made by a doctor based on individual circumstances, medical conditions, and even financial situations, and is not uniform. This means that each case is judged individually. Some medical institutions may even allow MRI scans after the patient signs a pledge acknowledging the risk of tattoo heating.
I personally was able to receive an MRI scan despite having tattoos, and I felt no impact on the tattooed areas whatsoever.
Among my acquaintances with full-body tattoos, one friend was hospitalized due to an injury, and the doctor made no mention of their tattoos at all, and they received an MRI scan as a matter of course. That's what I heard.
It is hard to believe that modern tattoos could affect MRI scans, and it feels like medical institutions that refuse them are not doing so based on individual policies, but rather rejecting tattooed individuals for examinations as a vague, conventional practice in the medical industry.
It seems that doctors and other medical professionals have few opportunities to learn about tattoos, and to avoid any potential trouble or risks, they sometimes refuse. Considering that clinics may also find it difficult to openly advertise "tattoos OK," it seems individual consultation is necessary.
Conclusion
Among the medical professionals I spoke with, some still casually stated, "MRIs are a no-go with tattoos." When I asked for the reason, it was always the kind of information one finds with a simple online search, and my impression was that they were individuals who didn't question vague conventions.
About 40 years ago, when ear piercings first started becoming common, an urban legend circulated that "a white thread comes out of the earlobe hole if you get a piercing. If you pull it, you'll go blind." Some people even spread rumors like "my friend's sister actually..." I've also heard the urban legend that "if you get a tattoo, you won't be able to breathe through your skin," and unbelievably, I've heard the same story from a medical professional.
While it's now a laughable urban legend, some people might still believe it.
I felt that the tattoo x MRI debate, though to a different degree, shared a similar nature with the aforementioned urban legends. I hope everyone can enjoy their tattoos and MRIs safely and happily!
Writer:
I was told that the loud noise inside the MRI machine and the narrow space might be unbearable for some, but I personally completed the examination while sleeping.