MRIs or magnetic resonance imaging started gaining popularity in the 21st century. The emergence of this technology gave birth to a whole new field of medical sciences by providing detailed images of tissues and organs throughout the body. Instead of exposing patients to ionizing radiation, healthcare workers can use magnetic fields and radio waves to study any injury or disease.
Several healthcare settings employ MRIs due to their non-invasiveness and efficiency. MRI machines are typically large and shaped like tubes, with both ends open. When patients lie inside, the surrounding magnetic field realigns all the water molecules in their bodies for a short while. Next, radio waves and rapidly fluctuating magnetic fields induce signals converted by the computer into cross-sectional images. This procedure provides critical information regarding prevailing health concerns and can help doctors track disease progression. It can even detect abnormalities that may remain hidden through other imaging techniques. More importantly, unlike CT scans that use x-rays, MRIs use radio waves, which don’t carry any radiation risks.
While MRIs are one of the safest technologies for detailed body imaging, patients and healthcare workers must still take certain precautions to minimize hazard risk. Here are ten safety tips you can include in daily practices to ensure the welfare of all individuals.
10 MRI Safety Tips
1. Place relevant warning signs
Most radiology departments in hospitals and clinics lack appropriate signage in areas where they do diagnostic imaging. But by placing relevant MRI safety signs, you can warn patients and healthcare workers about the room’s potential hazards. These signs must indicate critical information in clear and bold letters within and outside the MRI suite to guarantee a safe environment.
2. Remove magnetic objects
Since the MRI machine emits strong magnetic fields, it can attract metallic objects that may be present on a patient’s clothing. Ensure all metals are taken off and kept outside the room before starting the machine. Any negligence on your part may result in incidences involving flying projectiles that can cause irreparable injury or damage. You must remove any watches, jewelry, hearing aids, and even cosmetic products that may contain metallic substances.
3. Provide precautionary instructions
Patients often feel anxious and scared to enter the MRI machine. They may grasp the top board, which moves towards the gantry entrance, but this can trap their fingers and cause severe injury. It’s essential to provide patients with clear precautionary instructions, such as telling them not to grab onto the board and to stay calm during the scan. Take the time to address your patient’s concerns and help them relax before starting the imaging procedure.
4. Restrict access
Only limited personnel must access radiology labs and zones where MRI scans or any other form of imaging scans get done. Policies must control and monitor these areas to ensure not everyone can enter them. It also helps to create a buffer zone outside the examination room that is free of potential hazards such as metallic objects.
5. Appropriate ancillary resources
All ancillary and supportive equipment must be present close to the imaging room. They must be MRI safe and labeled, so the medical staff feels secure in bringing them to the MRI area. Although these may vary across different healthcare settings, a few essential requirements include:
- MRI-safe fire extinguishers
- Monitors for room temperature and humidity levels
- MRI-safe wheelchairs and trolleys
- Interventional equipment or tools
6. Training personnel
All personnel in a healthcare setting, technical and non-technical, must receive regular training regarding MRI safety. Technical staff can include the radiologist, technologist, all zone workers, and trainees. On the other hand, non-technical personnel consists of patients, volunteers, visitors, housekeeping staff, and maintenance staff. Besides ensuring the safety of healthcare workers and patients, this training minimizes the risk of machine failure or error. It’s the responsibility of managers and medical directors to provide safety training and revise them regularly from time to time. Depending on the involvement of workers with MRI machines, safety training can vary from basic level to a more advanced safety training program.
7. Pre-screening every patient
Skilled and trained hospital staff should pre-screen every patient before sending them for an MRI scan. These are important to confirm there are no underlying contraindications that may interfere with the procedure and cause harm to the patient or personnel. A checklist of major contraindications can facilitate this step and make results more reliable. It also helps to have all previous imaging present so that the doctor can make informed decisions. Health and safety authorities recommend screenings on three distinct occasions:
- When patients book their appointments
- When patients arrive on site
- Immediately before patients enter the examination room
8. Constant monitoring
Children often find it difficult to stay immobile during the MRI scan. Adults sometimes get frightened or undergo emotional distress that can even result in panic attacks. In such cases, medical personnel sedate patients or administer anesthesia so they can tolerate the examination process. However, these can have adverse consequences because a patient under sedation can’t alert the technologist about any respiratory, cardiac, or physiological distress. For this reason, it’s crucial to constantly monitor patients for all vital parameters throughout the procedure. In case of any emergency, the trained staff must be able to provide the standard of care equivalent to that of an operating room.
9. Use of contrast agents
Depending on the type of scan, some MRI exams require contrast agents. Although these are considered safe and have received FDA approval, keeping a close eye on any side effects they may cause is essential. Only an experienced and trained staff must administer the agent in recommended doses and according to pre-defined standards and protocols. While allergic reactions or other harmful effects are rare, they can still occur. And so, it’s better to stay prepared for any potential incident to ensure patient safety doesn’t get compromised.
10. Periodically review the safety program
Since technology, knowledge, equipment, and software are evolving daily, you must update your safety programs as you move along. MRI safety requires continual monitoring, so you must stay vigilant to minimize accidents and potential risks. Periodically review your protocols and policies, learn from past year’s incident reports and incorporate necessary changes for the days ahead.
Conclusion
Safety programs for MRI exams and other medical procedures vary from one hospital to the next. But in essence, they all contain similar protocols and directives that center around patient safety and the personnel of a particular setting. Follow these tips to promote the safe use of medical devices and curtail any harm that may come to a patient.
