MRI Safety Information

Safety Information for Prospective Students

Important Note: Students that are pursuing a career in MRI must be fully aware of the magnetic fields that are used and also understand the consequences of not following safety guidelines. Students that are accepted into the program will be required to undergo a safety screening by completing a MRI safety screening form. Please understand that admission is conditional upon the screening form being reviewed and deemed safe for the student to perform his/her duties in the MRI environment. Please review the following information regarding MRI Safety and the: ACR Guidance Document on MR Safe Practices: 2013

In MRI, the magnetic field is ALWAYS on. The MRI student will comply with each clinical site’s policies and procedures pertaining to metallic objects being introduced into the MRI scanning suite. Carrying ferromagnetic articles or introducing them to the MRI scanning area is strictly prohibited. These objects can become projectiles within the scanning room causing serious injury or death and/or equipment failure.  

Items that need to be removed before entering the MR system room include but are not limited to:
• Purse, wallet, money clip, credit cards or other cards with magnetic strips
• Electronic devices such as beepers or cell phones
• Hearing aids
• Metallic jewelry, watches
• Pens, paper clips, keys, nail clippers, coins, pocket knives
• Hair barrettes, hairpins
• Any article of clothing that has a metallic zipper, buttons, snaps, hooks, or under-wires
• Shoes, belt buckles, safety pins

Before entering the program, the student will be asked to fill out a screening form asking about anything that might create a health risk or even death. If you have a bullet, shrapnel, or similar metallic fragment in your body, there is a potential risk that it could change position, possibly causing injury. Also, the magnetic field of the scanner can damage an external hearing aid or cause a heart pacemaker to malfunction.

Examples of items or things that may create a health hazard or other problems:
• Pacemaker
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
• Neurostimulator system
• Aneurysm clip
• Metallic implant
• Implanted drug infusion device
• Foreign metal objects, especially if in or near the eye
• Shrapnel or bullet
• Permanent cosmetics or tattoos (if being scanned)
• Dentures/teeth with magnetic keepers
• Other implants that involve magnets
• Medication patches that contain metal foil (i.e., transdermal patch)