Although MRI safety has always been a concern, information about MRI safety made it into the public press in 2005 more so than in the years prior, from the front page of the New York Times to “Good Morning America”. As a result, patients, now more than ever, are taking an active role in ensuring their own safety while having an MRI scan. Below are 10 questions patients should know the answers to prior to having an MRI examination and the Lexington Clinic’s responses to them.
- Are the facility and the technologists accredited?
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has issued guidelines for MRI facilities and personnel. Although certification is not a guarantee of safety, facilities that take the time to achieve certification may be more likely to take safety issues seriously and adhere to safety guidelines.
The Lexington Clinic has been ACR accredited since March 2000. All MRI technologists are accredited as well.
- Does the facility follow the ACR’s four-zone safety and screening procedures?
The ACR has divided MRI facilities into four safety zones.
 | Zone I is the area outside of the building |
| Zone II is the area inside of the building (patient reception and patient dressing/holding are areas in this zone) |
| Zone III is the area just outside of the magnet room (commonly referred to as the control room) |
| Zone IV is the magnet room |
The Lexington Clinic has taken steps to adhere to this procedure. Zones III and IV are inaccessible to the
general public and personnel other than MRI safety trained personnel.
- Is there an MRI safe fire extinguisher?
The Lexington Clinic has two MRI safe fire extinguishers in the MRI Suite.
- Are the furniture and equipment in the room MRI safe?
The Lexington Clinic has taken precautions to make sure that all furniture and equipment used in the magnet room is MRI safe. For example, all storage bins/shelves used for linens, supplies, coils, sponges, etc. are made entirely of plastic. Also, we have an MRI safe wheelchair, stretcher and oxygen tanks located in the MRI Suite in case of patient necessity.
- Where are outside metal objects stored in the facility?
The Lexington Clinic employs the use of lockers in the patient dressing/holding area for potentially problematic patient belongings. Also, if a patient arrives with his/her own wheelchair/oxygen tank, etc., he/she will be transferred to an MRI safe wheelchair or switched over to an MRI safe oxygen tank in a safe area.
- What happens if a patient develops breathing problems while having a scan?
The Lexington Clinic has MRI safe oxygen tanks if a patient requires this. However, if a patient needs further medical assistance, the patient will be removed from the magnet room to the internal hallway of the MRI Suite.
- What steps do you take to prevent someone from bringing unsafe objects into the magnet room?
The Lexington Clinic has a diligent screening process. First, a patient is required to fill out a history and screening form upon checking in for the MRI examination. This provides the technologist with some medical/surgical history of the patient. Upon reviewing the form, the technologist will then verbally ask the patient more specific questions about his/her medical/surgical history. It is extremely important that the patient be entirely candid and thorough with regards to this history. Once the technologist has determined that it is safe for a patient to undergo an MRI examination, the patient will be asked to remove any potentially hazardous items from his/her person. These items will be left in the patient dressing/holding area.
It may seem repetitive or even viewed as a hindrance to go through this extensive screening process, but it is simply for the safety of the patient and personnel.
- How do you prevent inadvertent entrance into the room during a scan?
The Lexington Clinic has taken steps to restrict access to the MRI Suite to anyone other than MRI safety trained personnel and patients/family members who have been through the screening process and deemed safe. This is accomplished by using a keyless entry system to which only MRI safety trained personnel have access. Therefore, even screened patients/family members deemed to be safe to enter the MRI Suite may only do so when escorted by MRI safety trained personnel.
- Is everyone who will be in the suite during the scan trained in MRI safety?
The Lexington Clinic’s MRI Suite is a restricted area only accessible by approved MRI safety trained personnel. If personnel that is not trained in MRI safety must gain entry to the MRI Suite, they are escorted and supervised by an MRI safety trained staff member the entire time they are in the MRI Suite.
- Does the facility share space with other types of imaging devices?
The Lexington Clinic’s MRI Suite is a restricted area which only MRI safety trained personnel have access. Therefore, patients who are to undergo a different type of testing (i.e. CT, ultrasound, etc.) accidentally and inadvertently wandering into the magnet room is not an issue.
In conclusion, the Lexington Clinic considers MRI safety to be a very serious concern and we have made every effort to take steps to ensure patient and personnel safety. If you have any safety concerns or questions that were not addressed in this report, please call the Radiology Department at (859) 258-4181.
*Questions reproduced by permission from “10 Questions To Ask Your Imaging Provider”, © copyright 2005, which is available from
www.MRI-Planning.com
