The Boston Scientific ACCOLADE MRI is a magnetic resonance conditional pacemaker - meaning that it can be safely scanned in MRI environments under specific conditions. According to Boston Scientific, between 50 to 75 percent of people with pacemakers will need to have an MRI at some point. Pacemakers are implanted in people with slow, less threatening heart rhythms and they only deliver low energy shocks. This model is compatible with both 1.5T and 3T scanners, which means it is safe to use with magnetic strengths up to three Tesla (the unit of measurement). The device has an automatic time-out zone which allows it to be scanned in MRI environments. It can be programmed to different settings for the MRI scan, and then reverted to normal settings once the scan is complete. This device can last from seven to fourteen years, depending on the model type.
Based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, Boston Scientific was founded by John Abele and Pete Nicholas in 1979 as a holding company in order to acquire Medi-Tech, a pre-existing medical instrument company. It develops and manufactures devices for many medical specialties. Their first product was a peripheral Angioplasty balloon. Between 1980 and 1990 Boston Scientific acquired ten medical device companies. In 2006 Boston Scientific acquired Guidant a Minneapolis based company that produced cardiovascular medical products including pacemakers and defibrillators.
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