Manual Last Updated
Medical emergencies |
Facilities Emergencies |
Emergencies During Scanning |
Instrument Shutdown |
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Used properly, the magnetic resonance imaging equipment contained within the MRI lab is quite safe, however, it poses serious risks to the unwary. Users of the lab should be completely familiar with this manual and with the procedures for protecting others from hazards. The main hazards in the lab are: • The "projectile effect" when heavy, sharp, or dangerous objects are hurled into the instrument. Even seemingly innocuous objects, such as hand tools, can be lethal. • Pacemaker damage. Certain cardiac pacemakers can be damaged by exposure to magnetic fields, causing direct hazards to subjects. Under no circumstances should persons with pacemakers enter the scanner building beyond the waiting room area. • As in many laboratories, the MRI lab contains wiring and circuitry that operate at dangerous voltages. Under no circumstances should users touch any exposed wiring, or any exposed terminals in the equipment cabinets. • Grossly improper scanner operation could result in excessive heating of the subject due to RF energy being deposited. This is easily avoided by operating the equipment according to the guidelines contained in the user manuals and set by the individual instructors. • Suffocation: in extreme cases, the imaging magnet may release large volumes of helium gas, that can rapidly force all air out of the scan room. Normally, this helium gas would be vented through the roof. However, there is a small but significant risk that the venting system could fail. |
The only rooms that can be considered completely safe are the waiting anteroom, the rest room, and the changing room. These are outside of the magnetic field and free from electrical equipment.
The chief risk exposure in the lab is to entering personnel who are unfamiliar with the equipment and its hazards. Personnel working in the facility must be constantly vigilant of who is entering the console or scan room area. Especially in emergency situations, you must ensure that no one without proper training enters the scanner room, and even then, that they have adequately checked themselves for possible hazards such as projectiles.
As interesting as the equipment is, please resist the temptation to show visitors the scanner "up close", as this introduces unnecessary risk of unwittingly exposing people to potential hazards.
In any emergency, try to step through the following guidelines methodically and carefully; avoid making decisions in panic situations.