MRI safety is a multi-faceted process that involves strict protocols to ensure patients, staff and equipment remain protected from the varying threats involved in the magnetic resonance imaging process. These protocols include many things including screening for all medical implants, and understanding the different risk categories for medical devices, such as what are considered MR Safe, MR Conditional and MR Unsafe. 

Unlike Xray, CT or Ultrasound, MRI is unique in that there are three energies at play: the static magnetic field, radio frequency waves, and gradient fields. With that, each case is to be approached as an independent risk. This, combined with risk v benefit and the very specifications of an implant/on-plant, are some of the things being considered when making this very important decision.

As the business owner, you are ultimately responsible for who or what MRI technologists put into your scanners. If a patient is unfortunately harmed during a scan, the liability lies with you.

What’s worse is organizations that aren’t ACR accredited run a huge risk in court. Legally, you WILL lose that case if someone sues in a situation like this, because the industry standards were not met at your facility. Let Scan Safe MRI help mitigate those risks by providing you with the guidance for a safe, efficient and compliant scan every time.

As a business owner, one thing you definitely don’t need is more stress. Scan Safe MRI was created to remove a lot of the stress, in terms of safely and reliably performing MRI scans.

No longer will you have to wonder (or worry) if a patient is eligible to be scanned. You will be equipped with the information you need about their implants and onplants to make the correct decision for the patient and your facility.

Unfortunately, zero liability does not exist in healthcare. However, can Scan Safe MRI reduce your liability? Absolutely!

With Scan Safe MRI, you can rest assured that you have the correct and current information you need to ensure that you remain compliant with industry safety regulations and standards.

Short answer? Yes! There have been numerous reported cases of patients suffering from burns due to metal fibers in their clothing. From Dri-Fit clothing to compression socks, burns can result from any of these and everything in between. Better to be safe than sorry!

Technically, no. The vast majority are, best case scenario, MRI Conditional. Meaning that most orthopedic implants that are screwed, nailed, cemented, etc into bone will not cause the patient harm or injury. There are however, a handful of implants (such as growing rods) and external implants (such as external fixators and halos) that are even more limited in their conditions.

Some older models of the most popular continuous glucose monitor (CGM) brands such as Freestyle Libre and Dexcom contain either a small metal needle or some electronic component. There can be burns associated with the RF of the magnet, or device malfunction due to the static magnetic field. Newer models such as the Freestyle Libre 2, 2 Plus, 3 and the Senseonics CGM have been approved under specific MRI conditions.

No! The generator to any implant is what provides the power and electrical source, which then travels through the lead to the targeted area. Though the generator of an implant unit is absent, the tip of that lead will still carry that electrical charge from the RF of the magnet, which will have to be disposed of somewhere, and this will end up being wherever the end of the lead is. In most cases, these leads are in extremely vital areas such as the heart, brain or spinal cord. It’s important to treat abandoned leads, just as if there was an entire implant unit. Possibly even with more caution!

Not yet, but we’ll get there! It’s been at least 25+ years since the last documented incident involving a ferrous aneurysm clip implant in a patient and MRI. That manufacturer no longer offers that clip and most are now being made of either titanium, surgical stainless steel, phynox, or some other paramagnetic material. Overall, we will likely get to a place where (similar to coils) we have moved far enough away from those ferromagnetic clips. As of today, we should continue to ask for implant cards and/or records for documentation purposes!

There has been information to show that shunts are a contraindication for an MRI, programmable or non-programmable. However, that being said, it’s important to point out that valve settings can absolutely be affected during the MRI. The recommendation is to have all patients with shunts, speak with their neurologist or neurosurgeon immediately following the MRI to confirm whether or not it is necessary for the patient to be assessed in office.

Yes and no. Manufacturers for cardiac stents have made great strides over the years and are more often than not being made up of titanium or surgical stainless steel. As far as we know and the information made available to us in the United States, they are MRI Conditional up to at least 3T.

Stents for other anatomy such as ureter, renal, liver, etc., have not all been fully tested. Because of this, patients should provide some sort of documentation that confirms either MrI Conditionality or at the very least, implant material.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a blanket statement for bullets or bullet fragments, because they are many factors at play: What is the bullet made out of? Was it a domestic or foreign injury? Where is the bullet? How long ago was it? These are all questions that are necessary to make an educated decision.