Mythbusters tackled the myth that older or primitive tattoos could be more suspectibale to pain, even explosion, when the bearer went into a MRI machine due to metals in the inks. I think most everyone has heard this one at some point.

I took interest in it immediately as the show House had mentioned this little "factoid" in the last episode about a Death Row inmate, and his crude prison tattoos,  being put into just such a circumstance. Oh, his tattoos bubbled and he screamed more than a guy named "Cuddles" in D block.

Mythbusters' Verdict? Bogus. House annoys me with bad medical crap, and annoying scripts, but I think (and have for years) Hugh Laurie is a genius and has built an amazing character so we watch and throw jokes instead of turning it over and not turning back becasue we are FOX's bitches.