MRI safety: a report of current practice and advancements in patient preparation and screening

Abstract MRI offers detailed diagnostic images without ionizing radiation; however, there are considerable safety concerns associated with high electromagnetic field strength. With increasing use of high and ultra high (7T) magnetic field strength, adequate patient preparation and screening for ferrous material is increasingly important. We review current safety standards for patient screening and preparation and how they are implemented at our institution. In addition, we describe a novel supplemental screening technique wherein the lights are dimmed in response to detected ferrous metal at the threshold of Zone IV.