New Delhi, Sept 23, IRNA - A new technology, introduced in India for the first time, will now enable heart patients having Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) implants undergo life-saving MRI scan.

Doctors say though ICD is a life-saving device but it hinders critical medical tests like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and others.

The first implantation of the Lumax ProMRI® 640 ICD was performed at the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in the capital in a 69-year-old male patient.

A team led by Dr Anil Saxena, Associate Director and Clinical Head, Cardiac Pacing & Electrophysiology and Dr Aparna Jaswal, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Dept of Cardiac Pacing & Electrophysiology of Fortis hospital made this feat possible.

BIOTRONIK's new ProMRI® technology is being introduced to the country for the first time.

The patient, Ashok Trikha, was brought to Fortis with symptoms of Sustained VT which is a continuous fast heart rate, a major cause for sudden cardiac death.

"It is very important for patients to have access to MRI - the 'gold standard' for soft tissue imaging and critical for the diagnosis of conditions such as cancer and strokes," pti reported quoting Dr Saxena. Dr Jaswal said physicians now have the opportunity to implant an advanced, high quality device that treats life-threatening arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats) and also allows the use of MRI to diagnose serious comorbidities (diseases or conditions that coexist with a primary disease).