People In Yoga Pants Are Being Burned By MRIs, Doctors Say

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CBS Local -- An MRI can help doctors detect problems a normal checkup wouldn't find, however, health experts are warning that wearing the wrong clothing during a scan can actually leave patients burned and scarred.

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"I suspect many patients are unaware of the clothing risks," Mount Sinai's Bradley Delman said, via Market Watch. "Even very comfortable clothing can present unnecessary risks."

According to radiologists across the country, metal threads that are added to keep odor and bacteria from building up can burn the skin when put under the scanning beams of an MRI. Clothing made of Lycra and spandex - commonly found in yoga pants and workout gear - are drawing red flags from hospitals.

"Patients can be burned because of a process similar to what happens during induction cooking. Metal produces extra heat in a magnetic field," Stony Brook School of Medicine's Haifang Li added.

A 2012 report in the American Journal of Neuroradiology detailed how an 11-year-old girl received second-degree burns after undergoing an MRI on her back. It was discovered that "silver-embedded microfibers" in her undershirt caused the injuries.

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Several hospitals have recently changed their MRI policies to require patients change into a paper gown or loose-fitting cotton clothing before the procedure.

According to Alison Matthews David of Ryerson University in Toronto, patients preparing to take an MRI should avoid wearing anything which is labeled as "anti-microbial," "anti-bacterial," or uses "silver technology."