New Standard for the Design of MRI Suite

Conceptual Layout of an MRI Suite in line with the 4-Zone Principle Affirmed by the American College of Radiology

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

An indispensable guide to the design of a contemporary MRI suite (with all the MRI safety requirements properly addressed) can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Tags: MRI safety, layout plan, 4-zone principle, MRI suite, ferromagnetic screening

Sources:

ACR Guidance Document for Safe MR Practices: 2007

MRI Design Guide by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (April 2008)

Musculoskeletal MRI 101 (II/II)

Tags: Meniscal tears, FSE, echo train length, ETL, echo spacing, T2 decay, signal jump, image blur, magnetization transfer, k-space, artefact

FDA Warns of Sandbags in MRI Suites

Sandbags that contain metal shavings could pose a hazard in MRI suites, according to an alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA issued its warning after a report of a case in which healthcare staff placed a sandbag on a patient's groin to help facilitate hemostasis after a femoral artery puncture procedure. As the study began, the sandbag was pulled into the MRI scanner, damaging the system. The patient was not injured in the incident.

Staff had assumed that the sandbag contained only sand, but upon further investigation it was found to contain ferromagnetic shavings and iron pellets. The sandbag was originally purchased for the hospital's physical therapy department and shouldn't have been brought into the MRI suite, according to the FDA.

The FDA suggests that sites purchase only sandbags that are labeled with the MR Safe or MR Conditional icon. Ferromagnetic sandbags should be appropriately labeled as MR Unsafe to ensure that they aren't brought into the MRI suite, and unlabeled sandbags should not be brought into MRI rooms.

In addition, MRI staff should be educated to screen patients for ferromagnetic objects and should remove patients' blankets and sheets to search for objects. Patient records should be checked before MRI scans for recent procedures that may have required the use of a sandbag, and signs should be placed in visible areas outside the MRI room reminding staff to check for ferromagnetic objects.

Tags: MR safe, MR conditional, sandbag, ferromagnetic

Sources:

AuntMinnie.com

FDA Alert & Notices (Medical Devices)

Encompass Group Voluntarily Recalls Thermoflect Product Line

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 26, 2009 – McDonough, GA – Jea R. Gackowski, Encompass Group Corporate Compliance Officer announced today the company is voluntarily recalling the Thermoflect product line for relabeling regarding its use in the MR (Magnetic Resonance) environment.

"We are voluntarily recalling the product line from use in the Magnetic Resonance (MR) environment," Gackowski said. "We are requesting that the Thermoflect blankets and other products not be used in MR conditional or MR compatible environments. We are in the process of sending labels to our customers to be attached per instructions to remind the hospitals that the product line should not be used in the MR environment.

"In the past, we have stated that the Thermoflect product may be used in the MR environment. However, after being informed by the FDA, at this time we will not promote the products for use in the Magnetic Resonance Environment. However, the product is still safe and effective for use in treating hypothermia."

We have been advised by the FDA that a report has been filed of an injury to an (MRI) patient. Several items are under consideration, including all of the blankets used in the MRI environment, of which Thermoflect is one. There is no evidence that the Thermoflect blanket caused the injury but as a precautionary measure we are voluntarily recalling the product line for relabeling.

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Tags: Safety, Thermoflect blanket, hypothermia

Musculoskeletal MRI 101 (I/II)

Tags: MSK, musculoskeletal MRI, protocol, magnetization transfer, magnetization transfer suppression, magic angle effect, tissue contrast, pulse sequences