MRI Safety Week: 3 Tips for Patients, Improved Signage, and More
“UCSF takes MRI safety very seriously. It is a priority,” says MRI Safety Officer and Supervisor Christina Calvin. This MRI Safety Week, July 21-27, Calvin spotlights the most important things patients need to know:
3 Tips for Patients
#1 Change Clothes to Prevent Injury
If a radiologist or technologist asks you to change, they’re looking out for you!
Although patients often wonder why, UCSF policy requires patients to change out of personal clothing and into a gown to prevent injury. Invisible to the naked eye, clothing can contain metal microfibers (used to wick moisture, prevent shrinking, or for their anti-microbial properties) that may result in skin burns during the MRI imaging procedure.
In a recent article, The Dangers of Fabric in MRI, co-author and Director of Diagnostic Medical Physics Michael Hoff, PhD, explains, “Thermal burns are the most common injury sustained during MRI. Textiles such as clothing and blankets, and most recently fabric face masks, are emerging as key factors when considering such thermal injuries. Fabric can trap heat and sweat close to the body and fabric containing metallic fibers can interact with MRI’s radiofrequency waves to induce burns, which represents the majority of reported fabric-related thermal injury cases.”
#2 Leave Jewelry – Including Gold! – at Home
Patients often wonder about why they need to remove jewelry that isn’t attracted to the magnet (nonferrous), such as gold wedding bands, earrings, bracelets, and dermal piercings.
The simple explanation is that all metal objects, including gold, can conduct electricity. In these types of objects, there is the chance that the MRI scanner may cause large amounts of electricity to flow, which can cause a serious burn. This risk is highest for jewelry that is shaped like a circle or loop.
Please be sure to remove all jewelry and leave it at home for safe keeping!
#3 Complete Your MRI Screening Form in Advance
Prevent delays, rescheduling, and cancellations by completing your MRI screening form in advance.
The MRI screening form is available via MyChart prior to an appointment. This form tells the radiology technologist whether there is anything in your body that may be unsafe in the MRI scanner. An accurate form, completed in advance, gives us time to contact patients with questions, gather more information if needed, and ultimately know whether a patient can safely have an MRI.
Patients should update the form after every surgery, medical procedure, or trauma, to ensure MR personnel are aware of any new implants or foreign objects. A good rule of thumb before any surgery is to ask, “Will implants or any devices be placed in my body during this procedure?” If so, document the device information and keep it readily available for reference when scheduling future MRIs to prevent scheduling delays.
Successful patient education is the direct result of a strong partnership between radiologists and technologists, according to Calvin.
MR Safety Committee
In addition to patient education, the MR safety committee is implementing several new initiatives to advance MR safety.
Safe Scan Videos
To increase accessibility of MR educational materials, the MR Safety Committee is rolling out a series of educational videos every other month to all MR technologists and other frontline personnel. The videos are less than 10 minutes and can be viewed anytime, which is especially convenient for night and weekend shift personnel. The first video focused on safety audits, and the second video focused on understanding MRI implant labeling and featured an interview with Director of Diagnostic Medical Physics Michael Hoff, PhD.
Improved Safety Signage
MRI zones help to determine which areas are safe for the general public and which should only be accessed by properly trained personnel. These zones are now more easily identified by bright-colored entry doors that are color-coded by MRI zone and feature prominent warning signs and messages that alert those entering of the presence of a high magnetic field inside.
For additional information on MRI safety, please see newly updated information on the MRI Safety webpage, including, updated pacemaker information, a new section on employee acoustic health, and elevated BMI policy.
MR Safety Committee Celebrates MRI Safety Week
To celebrate MRI Safety Week, July 21-27, MR Safety Officer Christina Calvin and MRI Manager Craig DeVincent deliver cookies to MRI team members in Mission Bay.
