My mom has metal poles in her neck. Don't know why she had them in. She doesn't remember how they got there. She has dementia.

She is saying neck. That would mean she has limited range of motion? Does she? Maybe it's just in her mind. They do get fixated on something and can't let it go. Does your Mom have anything that says she can't have an MRI because of the type of rod she has? My nephew wears a necklace saying he has Titanium rods. An an xray should show if something is there.

At some time in her life your mother must have been in an accident that may have broken the vertebrae in her spine. Do you remember any accidents she may have been in? Before she got dementia, did she ever say anything about an accident or about the rods in her back?

Is she in pain because of them? If she is, you need to go back to the doctor and tell him/her that Mom is in pain. Also, people with dementia often obsess about things. This may be Mom’s obsession.