Safety

Once you've been in the MRI field for any length of time, you start hearing all of the various horror stories about thing that have flown into a scanner. Often, newcomers don't take the real danger of flying objects seriously until they witness an oxygen tank or gurney flying into a magnet themselves. This page will contain a collection of pictures and stories of metallic projectiles. Please show this page to all MRI newcomers, for their own safety and the safety of their patients!

Please send any pictures and/or stories you have to moriel@simplyphysics.com. Let me know if you don't mind having your name posted with the picture/story or if you would rather remain anonymous (out of embarrassment?)

For more information on MRI safety issues, I recommend you go to Dr. Frank Shellock's site www.MRIsafety.com.

P.S. To you contributors, let me know if you want to remain anonymous

Flying Objects

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Burns

1st degree tattoo burn. ‘Mythbusters’ said it wasn’t possible.

Burns where bolts attached to pt’s head on a cervical fixation device (Halo)

2nd degree tattoo burn

Unexplainable 2nd degree burn. Pt. had no metal on.

This is a very interesting case. The MR scan at bottom shows pt’s asymmetry in thighs (reason for scan). Entire scan done without incident, but pt. complained of some tingling sensations where his calves touched only on the last series. Continued->

There were NO visible defects at the time but they kept pt.- over a period of hours these 3rd degree burns migrated to the surface.

2nd degree from EKG cables

3rd degree from Pulse oximeter cable. Toe required amputation.

1st degree from shoulder coil