MRI safety

The use of MRI poses significant safety considerations for patients and staff and requires those working in MRI to have knowledge and understanding relating to the risks posed by static magnetic fields, time varying electromagnetic fields and biological effects.  

Our publication Safety in Magnetic Resonance Imaging sets out the required knowledge for the radiographic workforce in MRI. It also acts as a practical guidance document for MRI services. 

The recognised guidance and framework for the safe use of MRI in the UK is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Safety Guidelines for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment in Clinical Use

MRI Safety Week

Each year in the last week of July MRI safety is highlighted by the MR community. The date reflects the anniversary of the death of a young patient due to an MR unsafe oxygen cylinder being taken into the MR environment.

Each year members and the SoR MR Advisory Group produce materials for MRI services.

• Documents available for download
• Posters available for download
  -  Have you pause and checked? MR

CEMFAW regulations 2016

There are also regulations relating to worker exposure to Electro Magnetic Fields that services and service managers need to be aware of these are known as the CEMFAW regulations which came into effect in the UK in 2016. They are overseen by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland  

More information can be found here.

Resources

MR Safety Advice Sheets

A series of MR Safety advice sheets was published by the BIR as part of the 2018 MR Safety Week Activities

The sheets were put together by the BIR MR Special Interest group and consist of the following:

• Scanning without device manufacturers approval of MRI safety
• SAR and B1+ RMS
• Static Magnetic Field
• Maximum Spatial Gradient
• Time-varying Magnetic Field Gradients

All can be downloaded from the BIR website

Essential Guidelines

• MHRA Safety Guidelines for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment in Clinical
• PHE Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): protecting patients
• Safety in Magnetic Resonance Imaging: 
• The Control of Electro Magnetic Fields at Work Regulations (CEMFAW)

Useful Publications

1.  International committee on Non-ionising radiation protection (ICNIRP) Guidelines for the protection of workers moving in or exposed to static magnetic fields. 2014.
2. ICNIRP Guidelines on exposure to static magnetic fields. 2009
3. ICNIRP Statement on medical magnetic resonance (MR) procedures: protection of patients. 2004.
4. ICNIRP 2009 Amendment to the Statement on medical magnetic resonance (MR) procedures: protection of patients (2004).
5.  British Standard EN I Particular Requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of magnetic resonance equipment for medical diagnosis

Risk Assessment Templates

The BIR MR Safety Working Party has developed generic risk assessment templates to assist employers which can be found within the Risk Assessments section of their webiste. 

Posters

• Burn Prevention
  Download an MRI burn prevention poster for your department, produced by the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and available in 5 different languages
   
• MHRA
  MR Safety Top tips poster
   
• Radiological Society of the Netherlands
  Using MR safely practical rules for employees
   
• Gadolinium Containing Contrast Agents GDCA
  Gadolinium containing contrast agents- new advice to minimise the risk of NSF -2010
   
• IPEM MR Safety Notices
  Free to download here

Helpful websites

• http://www.mrisafety.com/