Patent ID: 7561915

Claim:
A method for causing an implantable medical device (“IMD”) to operate in a safe mode during an MRI scan, the method comprising: detecting the presence of the IMD using an MRI system containing a telemetry device wirelessly communicating with the IMD, the IMD initially programmed to operate according to a first mode of therapy; determining that the IMD is not operating according to an MRI-safe mode of therapy using the telemetry device; sending a signal from the telemetry device to the IMD causing the IMD to operate according to the MRI-safe mode of therapy; and preventing an MRI system from conducting an MRI scan if the IMD is not in the MRI-safe mode, wherein causing the IMD to operate according to the MRI-safe mode of therapy includes at least one of: causing the first mode of therapy of the IMD to change from rate-responsive cardiac pacing to fixed-rate cardiac pacing; causing the first mode of therapy of the IMD to change from demand cardiac pacing to non-demand cardiac pacing; causing the first mode of therapy of the IMD to change from providing tachycardia therapy to not providing tachycardia therapy; and causing the first mode of therapy of the IMD to change from tachycardia detection to not detecting tachycardia.