MRI Safety Screening
MRI Safety Screening Recommendations
The following are recommendations for screening procedures prior to research MRI scans in the ALBMC. The principal investigator and his or her research team are responsible for conducting safety screening in accordance with IRB approved protocols. The recommendations here may not be suitable or appropriate for all populations and should be adjusted as required to assure that all subjects are adequately screened.
Before Arriving at the BMC:
- Review metal screening form responses carefully for implants or foreign bodies. If present, research the details to exclude ineligible subjects. Contact Roger Woods for final clearance of implants.
- Explain to subjects that they will need to remove and store any metal items during the scan. Advise them that they will also be screened for unsafe items with a special metal detector specifically designed for use prior to MRI scans.
- Instruct the subject to only bring what is absolutely necessary to the MRI area. You can reduce risks and the time required to get your subject in the scanner if you have them:
- Dress appropropriately - Gown tops and bottoms are available in the BMC Prep room
- Avoid steel toed boots or shoes, shoes with metal or magnets
- Avoid hairpins, barrettes or other metal hair items
- Clothing During MRI Scanning:
It is required that research participants be changed into BMC provided MR safe gown tops and
pajama pants. Please note that underclothing may also pose a safety risk unless made entirely of
cotton or linen, particularly if metallic fasteners are present. If underclothing is not cotton it will
also need to be removed.
No athletic or workout underclothing can be worn during MRI scanning, including, but not
limited to compression wear, sport underwear, sport bras, etc. Such items are increasingly
manufactured with metallic antimicrobial components invisibly woven into the fabric, posing an
unacceptable risk of avoidable burns.
Absolutely forbidden: 1) underclothing designated as “anti-microbial”, “anti-odor”, “heat-
retaining” or otherwise indicating any special properties of the fabric; 2) underclothing made of
any fabric marketed with a specific brand-name (i.e. zircon fabric)
The research team may elect to allow research subjects to wear underclothing not forbidden
above during MR scanning, but should be aware that this potentially entails some risk that cannot
necessarily be mitigated by looking at clothing labels, even if labelled as 100% cotton. PI’s are
responsible for determining how these risks should be managed and may wish to include these
risks in consent and IRB materials. The BMC cannot endorse any particular underclothing
product as MR safe and recommends following the ACR whitepaper guidelines (specifically
pages 14 and 35) unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. Researchers should consider
that each item of underclothing increases the potential risk and that brassieres are currently more
likely than underpants to contain unsafe materials.
- Leave unsafe items at home:
- Knives or weapons of any kind
- Lighters
- Valuable jewelry (necklaces, watches, bracelets, rings, etc.), even if not ferromagnetic
- Remove body piercings
- If in doubt, leave the item at home
Upon Arrival at the BMC:
- Review the metal screening form again with the subject to assure no items were missed or misunderstood
- Explain the importance of removing all unsafe items from their person before entering the magnet room.
- Once again, explain to subjects that they will need to remove and store any metal items during the scan. Advise them that they will also be screened for unsafe items with a special metal detector specifically designed for use prior to MRI scans.
- Ask if they have body piercings in place that they need to remove privatey in the rest room.
Immediately before the scan in the MRI Control Room:
- Specifically inquire about commonly overlooked items: wristwatches, cell phones or pagers.
- Visually check common jewelry areas like ears, wrists and necks.
- After all other screening is complete, screen the subject with the ferromagnetic screening wand, having the subject remove any detected items. If you find a item with the ferromagnetic screening wand, this indicates that your screening procedure has FAILED. Review the procedures and make corrections to your procedure before your next scan.
