Biopsy needles and devices: assessment of ferromagnetism and artifacts during exposure to a 1.5-T MR system

Forty-eight biopsy devices (needles, stylets, guide wires, biopsy guns, etc) were evaluated for ferromagnetism (n = 48) and artifacts (n = 43) in a 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) system, with previously described techniques. Forty-five of the 48 devices were found to be ferromagnetic. Artifacts varied, depending on the type and size of the component material(s) of the device. Most of the commercially available biopsy devices are not useful for MR imaging-guided biopsy procedures because of the presence of ferromagnetism and associated artifacts.