Call Kurtis: What You Should Know Before Getting An MRI

A West Sacramento man says his hearing aids were damaged during an MRI exam. When the medical office only offered to pay for one hearing aid, he called Kurtis.

If you ever get an MRI, you need to be careful about what you're wearing.

A mechanics instructor found out just how powerful MRI machines can be.

For two months, John Balunda says he struggled teaching his class because he couldn't hear properly.

"Without my hearing aids, I cannot hear anything," said John.

Going in for an MRI, he says Open Advantage MRI damaged them.

John says he told the techs he wore hearing aids before his MRI.

But he says they never had him remove them before walking into the exam room. The company in a statement said John told them he'd worn the hearing aids during previous MRIs without problem.

"The minute I stepped into the MRI room, I just heard a buzz and that buzz wasn't even a second and the next thing I know, both hearing aids were blown out," said John.

The owner of Avalon Hearing Aid Centers confirms MRIs can severely damage hearing aids and after inspecting John's, determined both were fried.

"The microphones and receivers were all damaged," said Michael Kemp, owner of Avalon Hearing Aid Centers.

John says Open Advantage MRI offered to pay to fix the hearing aids but then said they'd only fix one.

"It's ridiculous," said Eric Ratinoff, consumer attorney with KCR Legal.

Ratinoff thinks the MRI technicians are the experts and should have had John remove the hearing aids before walking into the exam room.

"They know they broke the hearing aids and they ought to step up and do the right thing," said Ratinoff.

We contacted Open Advantage MRI. The owner, Norm Kaufman, tells us they only offered to pay for one because John only complained of one being damaged when he entered the scan room.

John says that's not true.

After we got involved, they sent John a check for $650 to cover the entire repair bill.

"I can put it towards the hearing aids I just purchased. That was a big expense," said John.

Open Advantage MRI says it never inspected John's hearing aids prior to his MRI and so can't comment on their condition prior to his allegation. The company says the decision to pay his bill in full was a business one.

It's not just hearing aids. Pacemakers, insulin pumps and anything metal should not be exposed to an MRI machine.