Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) growth hit full stride in the late 80's and is vastly spreading throughout the world utilizing significantly more powerful magnets.  Whether you have an existing MRI suite or are in the construction phase, it is important to review and update your MRI safety protocol to protect your staff and patients, along with your investment.

The most recent document to spotlight MRI safety is The 2007 American College of Radiology (ACR) Guidance document.  Its purpose is to provide a means to educate the MRI community in regards to safety.  As recommended by the American Society for Testing and Materials( ASTM); the intent of this practice is to provide needed information about the safety of items in and near MR scanners using a compact and easily recognized set of symbols and terms.  The terms MR safe and MR compatible as first defined in 1997 in the FDA draft guidance document, "A Primer on Medical Device Interactions with magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems," have been used to describe the safety of devices in and near MR systems.  However, there has been a great deal of confusion surrounding this terminology.  An incorrect assumption is often made.  Users often incorrectly assume that items labeled MR safe or MR compatible are safe or compatible for any environment.  MR environments vary in terms of magnetic field strength and RF conditions.  This new system eliminates much of that confusion.
 
Hospitals are full of products with ferrous (metals with magnetic properties) materials that will quickly turn your calm environment into chaos.  A momentary lapse in judgment can quickly turn an everyday hospital staple into a lethal projectile or on the lighter side it could cost an average of $183,000 a quench.  A quench is a very timely process of shutting down an MRI system and significantly reducing its magnetic force.

Many products are endorsed for MR safety including the newly improved Ferromagnetic Halo Detection Systems.  The Halo Entry System surrounds a doorway and consists of sensors that will alert the staff and patients if and where there are any ferrous materials. 

It focuses on larger items such as oxygen tanks and floor buffers. The Halo Prescreen System is designed to be free standing unit to be located in a prescreening room.  It is designed to focus on small objects such as hairpins that might cause image artifacts or compromise the scanner. The Halo Entry and Prescreen Systems are meant to be used in conjunction with one another to provide maximum safety in the MR environment and optimum accuracy of the scan.

MRI safety goes beyond the magnet.  The newest concerns include documented cases of superbugs.  A dangerous superbug known as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which can't be tamed by certain common antibiotics, may lurk in the bore of your magnet.  At least 30,000 U.S. hospital patients may have the superbug at any given time according to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.  The potentially fatal germ, which is spread by touch, typically thrives in settings were people have open wounds.  The newly patented Magna Wand which is designed specifically to clean and disinfect MRI and CAT scan machines is recommended to decrease the possibility of spreading the dangerous superbugs.  
In addition to the Magna Wand, products such as the Contoured Shifter - Patient Mover are now being manufactured with built in ionic silver antimicrobial agents to control levels of bacteria active for the life of the board.

The training of staff, maintenance workers and the general public on MR safety is a highly important tool.  If people have the necessary information and keep it at the forefront, many accidents can be avoided.  Acknowledge potential super bugs and how to combat them is paramount in preventing dangerous staff infections and potential contaminants.  New products specific for MR use are being designed rapidly, from detecting potentially ferrous metals to labeling products safe or unsafe, some likely have what you need.   If they do not, they should be able to develop what you are looking for. 

The largest and constantly growing selection of MRI Safe products on the web can be found at http://www.MRIequip.com 

MRI safe and Durable Medical Equipment can be found at http://www.ocelco.com