Susceptibility artifact
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
A dark, distorted patch on an MRI caused by metal or by a boundary between air and tissue — a dental filling, a surgical clip, a joint replacement. The area it covers cannot be assessed, which is why the report names it.
Where you’ll see this
MRI findings, particularly of the spine, head and joints after surgery.
Your report may word it “Metallic artifact”, “Blooming artifact” or “Susceptibility effect”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- Was any part of the scan unreadable because of this?
- Does it need to be repeated, and if so how soon?
- Could this have hidden something, or only made the pictures look odd?
Picture problems, not body problems
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.