Implanon implant detection with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the degree of difficulty in locating Implanon (Organon, Sydney, Australia) contraceptive rods which had been inserted suboptimally, using both ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Volunteers with correctly placed Implanon rods were recruited for normal scanning protocols. A phantom was used to display abnormal rod placements. Ultrasound imaging was carried out using a variety of transducers to demonstrate their suitability. An MRI scanning protocol was formulated to achieve required views in the shortest time. Results: All Implanon rods were successfully imaged with both ultrasound and MRI. Conclusion: High resolution linear array transducers combined with the correct scanning protocol should enable visualisation of Implanon rods in almost all cases. The MRI imaging requires caution when differentiating blood vessels and fibrous septae from the Implanon rods.