We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Should I Know About MRI Safety?

By Alex Terris
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 4,813
Share

In most cases, an MRI is a secure and reliable form of medical testing. MRI safety is still important, however, as the strong magnetic fields can cause potential problems. Any magnetic object in the room, for example, may rapidly move towards the machine when it is turned on and can cause injury. If the patient has any magnetic objects in his or her body, such as certain types of pump or implants, this can also be dangerous. Other potential safety issues include hyperthermia caused by heating from the radio transmitter and discomfort caused by claustrophobia.

An MRI scan uses strong magnetic fields to form an image of the body’s tissues. This strong magnetic field will attract anything that is ferromagnetic, often at high velocities. If a projectile hits a patient during an MRI scan, this can result in serious injury. There are even recorded deaths from this type of accident. For this reason, it is essential to maintain MRI safety by ensuring that the patient is wearing nothing metallic, such as watches or necklaces.

If the patient has any device inside his or her body, such as a pacemaker, this makes MRI safety more difficult. In some cases, special protocols need to be followed to ensure that the scan can take place safely. Sometimes, the scan may have to be canceled completely. Some examples of implants which cannot be present during an MRI scan include insulin pumps and nerve stimulators.

Inside the MRI machine is a radio transmitter which is used to obtain a clear image. In some rare cases, this can cause heating in the patient’s body and even lead to hyperthermia. This type of MRI safety issue is most commonly encountered in overweight patients.

The confined space of an MRI machine may also cause potential safety issues. For MRI scans of the lower limbs, the patient is not always required to be enclosed. There are a number of situations, however, where the patient must lie in a small space for a long period of time, which can lead to feelings of claustrophobia.

There are numerous other potential MRI safety issues, but most are extremely uncommon. The vast majority of problems can be avoided if the technician is given full and accurate information by the patient and the referring doctor. There has, however, been a recent increase in MRI safety problems occurring in U.S. imaging facilities, although the reason for this has not yet been established.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon119044 — On Oct 16, 2010

RE: magnetic objects moving toward the machine.

Virtually all contemporary MRI scanners have 'always on' magnetic fields. This is either because they are permanent magnets (really big versions of what's stuck to my fridge door right now) or, more commonly, superconducting magnets. The latter can be turned off, but this requires special equipment and specifically trained personnel to do it ($$).

There are systems of the MRI which are only turned on when imaging a patient, but those systems aren't the main, super-powerful magnetic field.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-should-i-know-about-mri-safety.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.