Unexpected Blooming Artifact in Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Unexpected foreign bodies are occasionally discovered during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These are often present unknown to the patient, missed during routine pre-MRI screening and result in unnecessary delay during MRI. The authors present a patient with traumatically embedded foreign body in the scalp that escaped pre-MRI screening and caused susceptibility artifacts during brain MRI. The object was surgically removed to allow the imaging to be completed. Patients with suspicion or history of facial trauma or with dental restorations are referred to concerned specialists for compatibility of hardware, restorations and for assessing risks during MRI due to these. This patient is presented as a reminder for clinicians to probe further during anamnesis and have a high index of suspicion for foreign bodies that may be present even after trivial injuries.