MRI Safety Precautions

Screening and Preparation

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all individuals, including patients and accompanying persons, must be thoroughly screened for ferromagnetic materials before entering the MRI suite 1, 2
The American College of Cardiology suggests removing all metallic items, including personal items like jewelry, watches, and credit cards, as well as clothing with metallic components like zippers and underwire bras 2, 3, 4, 5
Patients should be provided with cotton clothing free of metal components to prevent thermal burns and other injuries 5

The American College of Cardiology recommends evaluating all implants according to MRI safety classification, including MR Safe, MR Conditional, and MR Unsafe devices 6, 7
Absolute contraindications for MRI include most electronic implants, certain older cerebrovascular clips, and ferromagnetic foreign bodies 1, 7
Relative contraindications include pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, although some newer models may be MR conditional 1, 7

The European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging suggests that transdermal medication patches containing metal must be removed before MRI to prevent thermal burns 6
Patients requiring continuous medication should have alternative delivery methods arranged during the MRI 6

The American College of Cardiology recommends assessing renal function before administering gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) 8, 1
GBCAs are contraindicated in patients with known allergic reactions, severe renal insufficiency, or acute renal insufficiency due to hepato-renal syndrome 8, 1

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using MRI-compatible monitoring equipment for pediatric patients, including pulse oximeters and capnographs 3, 4
Sedated or restrained children should have monitoring wires avoided and oximeter probes placed far from the magnetic coil to prevent thermal injuries 3, 4

The European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging suggests emptying the bladder before scanning for patient comfort and reduced radiation exposure 5
Patients receiving gadolinium contrast should have their glucose levels checked before FDG-PET/MRI and postponed if >160 mg/dL 5

The European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging recommends having documented emergency protocols for cardiac arrest, magnet quench, and fire in the MRI suite 5, 6
All emergency equipment in the MRI room must be MRI-compatible, including laryngoscope blades, oxygen tanks, and other resuscitation equipment 3, 4

All ferromagnetic objects, including flexometallic endotracheal tubes, must be prevented from entering the MRI scanner area as they become dangerous projectiles in the magnetic field, according to the American College of Cardiology 9
Electrical conductive materials in contact with tissue, such as those found in some endotracheal tubes, can cause severe burns when exposed to radiofrequency magnetic fields during MRI scanning, as noted by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 10

Any endotracheal tube containing ferromagnetic wire reinforcement, such as standard flexometallic tubes with stainless steel wire spirals, should not be used in MRI, as recommended by the American College of Cardiology 9

Heating effects may occur even without visible displacement, particularly with conductive loops, as warned by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 10