The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety communication warning patients and health care providers that patients may be injured if they wear face masks with metal parts and coatings during a magnetic resonance imaging exam.

Some masks may contain metal parts, such as nose clips or wires, nanoparticles or antimicrobial coatings that may contain metal, During an MRI exam, the metal parts or coatings may become hot and burn the patient. The FDA recommends patients wear face masks with no metal during MRIs.

The FDA recently received a report that a patient’s face was burned from the metal in a face mask worn during an MRI. The FDA reminds patients and providers that patients should not wear any metal during an MRI.