ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Comparative and Clinical Medicine
Suspected MRI Associated Burn Injuries in Dogs
Provisionally accepted
Jamie Lynn Peyton1,2
William T.N. Culp2Rich Larson2S. Jason Peters2
Christine M Toedebusch2
Eric George Johnson2*- 1Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, United States
- 2School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is widely utilized in veterinary medicine for its diagnostic accuracy and safety profile. However, thermal injuries secondary to MRI are a significant adverse event that may be under recognized by veterinary clinicians. This study investigates five canine cases of presumed MRI-induced burns with a distinctive linear pattern, ranging from superficial to full-thickness, at a single veterinary institution. The underlying mechanisms for these thermal injuries was most likely resonant circuit heating or the antenna effect, exacerbated by patient positioning and improper insulation of ECG leads. Clinical implications included delayed wound recognition, extended healing times, and substantial complications such as impaired mobility and delayed neurological rehabilitation. The findings underscore the necessity for improved MRI safety protocols, particularly regarding patient monitoring and positioning during MRI procedures in veterinary practice.
Keywords: burn, wound, MRI, canine, MRI safety, Thermal injuries
Received: 18 Aug 2025; Accepted: 24 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Peyton, Culp, Larson, Peters, Toedebusch and Johnson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Eric George Johnson, egjohnson@ucdavis.edu
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