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FDA has issued a public health notice alerting healthcare professionals that the X-rays used in CT scans may cause some electronic medical devices to malfunction. The agency says it has received a small number of reports of adverse events in which CT scans may have interfered with electronic medical devices, including pacemakers, defibrillators, neurostimulators, and implanted or externally worn drug infusion pumps. This has not yet been attributed to any deaths, though. Reported adverse events include unintended shocks from neurostimulators, malfunctions of insulin infusion pumps, and changes in pacemaker output pulse rate. These are not related to compatibility issues with MRI, which have been known about for years. The notice includes several recommendations that may prevent malfunctions.

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