I just had an MRI and they told me that if you "recently" had a
tattoo, it can pull some of the ink out. Unlikely at best. Most
pigments are carbon based and therefore non-metallic /
non-magnetic. It's totally possible if you got your tattoo in JAIL,
but otherwise, not if you got it in the last 20 years. no one uses
lead based or metallic ink anymore
While it is highly unlikely that an MRI would cause any problems
the above answer is incorrect. No agency regulates tattoo inks, and
metallic inks are still being manufactured. With the recent scares
regarding lead and other toxins in products imported from China
there may be reason for concern...Many tattoo inks are made in
China. A LOT of black tattoo ink is made from iron oxide. No one
uses lead-based or mercury-based ink anymore, but almost all tattoo
ink is made from metallocene pigments--they are more durable than
dyes or plastics. My bet: if you got the work done recently an MRI
machine can pull the ink out.