How likely is it for filler to be visible on an mri?

Question

I got lip filler 3 years ago, and for some reason it never dissolved on its own. I went to get it dissolved with ultraso guided filler, and she could see that there was lots of filler there. She dissolved most on the first session, but there are 2 tiny straight lines left i can feel especially from the inside of my mouth. They sit in the border of my lip, she could not see the filler, i assume because it is sitting so deep, however she was able to hit it by “blindly” dissolving it. But she only hit it in the middle, so now I can feel a spot where there is no filler, and then on each side there is a line of filler. When I went back she could not hit them this time. So i was wondering if MRI is able to see this filler better than ultrasound, as I am constantly aware of it and it is a big deal to me to get it out.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

I completely understand why this is bothering you—when you can feel something in your lips all the time, it’s hard not to fixate on it, especially after you’ve already gone through multiple dissolution attempts. What you’re describing is actually something I see not infrequently with long-standing lip filler.

Can filler be seen on MRI?

Yes—MRI can detect hyaluronic acid (HA) filler, and in many cases it does so more clearly than ultrasound, especially when the filler is:

Very deep

Fragmented into thin linear strands

Located near the vermilion border or inside the lip

MRI is excellent at differentiating soft tissues and fluid-like substances. HA filler tends to appear as a distinct signal (often hyperintense on T2-weighted images), even years after injection. This makes MRI particularly helpful when ultrasound can no longer clearly visualize the material.

Why ultrasound sometimes misses it

Ultrasound is operator-dependent and works best when filler is:

Superficial

In larger, more cohesive pockets

In your case, the filler sounds like it has:

Migrated or been placed very deep

Organized into thin, linear deposits

Partially dissolved already, making it harder to visualize

That explains why your provider could initially dissolve it “blindly,” hit the center, but now can’t reliably target the remaining strands.

Would MRI help in your situation?

Given what you’re describing, MRI could be very useful to:

Confirm whether filler is still present

Map its exact depth and orientation

Distinguish filler from scar tissue or fibrosis (which can feel very similar)

This is especially relevant since what you’re feeling is linear, persistent, and asymmetrical after partial dissolution.

An important nuance

Not everything that feels like filler is filler. After years—and especially after hyaluronidase—there can be:

Fibrotic bands

Capsular changes

Altered tissue planes

MRI helps clarify whether there is still HA present versus structural tissue change. That distinction matters, because additional dissolving won’t help if what’s left is fibrosis rather than filler.

Bottom line

Yes, MRI can see filler, often better than ultrasound in deep or subtle cases

MRI may help determine whether filler is truly still there versus scar tissue

Your experience and awareness of it are valid—this isn’t “in your head”

You’ve already taken thoughtful, appropriate steps, and your question is a very reasonable one. Getting clarity about what is actually there is the key to deciding what—if anything—can be done next.

How likely is it for filler to be visible on an mri?

Answers (1)

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