UCI MRI Safety Training Manual

What phone do you use to call 911 in case of emergencies?

The lab phone

Why should you use the lab phone to call 911 in case of emergencies?

It allows tracking from the dispatch center if you are unable to provide an accurate description of your location

What should you do if you cannot use the lab phone to call 911 in case of emergencies?

Use a cellphone and call the UCI Police Department

What 3 pieces of information you should tell 911 or the UCI Police dispatcher ?

Nature of the emergency; where the emergency is; if there are injuries or an imminent threat of injury

In regards to electrical hazards, what should you be careful of for all electrical equipment in the facilities?

Liquids

Is the gradient set water-cooled?

Yes

The water inside the gradients is conducting a…

very high electrical current

If there is a water leak near the magnet, or in close proximity to the exterior of the MRI trailer, what can happen?

There is the possibility of receiving an electric shock from coming into contact with the water

What should you assume when water is found in or near the magnet?

You should assume it is dangerous and should not be touched

What are the 5 things you should do if there is water in or near the magnet?

1. Do not touch the water

2. Remain outside the room

3. Place a note (DO NOT ENTER) on the magnet room door

4. Do not attempt to use the scanner

5. Contact NIC staff to know how to proceed

What are the most likely ignition sources in the facilities?

1. electrical shorts

2. items brought into the operator’s room by users, subjects and visitors

3. Lab equipment placed too close to light bulbs

The procedure to follow in the event of a fire in either facility is dependent on…

whether the fire alarm has activated automatically or not

Fire alarm procedure: If the fire alarm is activated automatically, what should you do?

Choose whether it’s safe to attempt to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher, and then evacuate to the designated area

Fire alarm procedure: If the fire alarm is NOT activated automatically by the smoke, what should you do?

Recover subject from the scanner and evacuate immediately, then turn on the fire alarm manually as you exit

When can you assume that the source of the fire is the scanner itself?

if the fire is located in the magnet room or equipment room

If the fire is small and located in the control room, what should you do?

Use a fire extinguisher if it is:

1. safe to do so

2. you’ve received training on how to use one

3. ONLY if the fire alarm has been activated

What should you do if a fire is located inside the magnet itself or in the electrical panel in the wall behind the magnet?

Evacuate the building and wait for emergency services (an extinguisher may not help)

What can result in a magnet quench?

Violent vibrations caused by an earthquake or the impact of a large magnetic object hitting the magnet

When the superconducting wire becomes resistive, what happens to the electrical energy?

It is converted to heat via any points in the wire

What happens to the liquid helium, which keeps the magnet cold, during a magnet quench?

The liquid helium vaporizes very quickly and emerges from the magnet via a quench duct that vents to the outside of the building

What happens to the magnetic field during a magnet quench?

Decays quickly

What are the two major risks from the ultra-cold helium gas?

Asphyxiation and burns

What should you assume about the quench duct during a magnet quench?

That it may fail, causing deadly cold gas to enter the magnet room

What should you do during a magnet quench?

Evacuate the magnet room ASAP at least as far as the corridor outside the operator’s room, but move farther away if you see any white vapor

Magnet quenches occur…

very rapidly

How fast will it take for the magnetic field to decay?

No more than 30-40 seconds

Signs you may not notice as a magnet quench begins

You may feel or hear low rumbling coming from the magnet

What should you do when you think a magnet quench is happening?

evacuate

If the helium gas from a magnet quench escapes into the magnet room, what should you do?

1. Open the magnet room and operator room doors and prop them open, to prevent a pressure build-up and to allow fresh air in

2. If you can do so safely, remove the subject from the magnet as quickly as possible

3. Do not re-enter the magnet room until cleared by staff as the oxygen level will be too low in the room

What do you have to be checked for before entering a magnetic field region greater than 5 Gauss (G)?

1. Magnetic items

2. Any health hazards associated with high magnetic fields (i.e., no pacemakers are allowed for >= 5 G)

What is elliptical around the magnet?

5 G contour

Where is the 5 G contour at NIC?

inside the magnet room (rear extends inside the equipment room), but NOT into the operator room

Where is the 5 G contour at FIBRE?

inside the magnet room and projects slightly into the operator room

Any iron-containing item is…

magnetic

Can other metals be magnetic?

Yes

What does the MR logo mean?

It means that an item is MR safe

What happens when a magnetic object encounters a magnetic field?

1. The object will orient itself

2. The object will move towards the center of the magnet

It will continue moving and accelerating until it reaches the center of the magnet

What are the 2 factors that affect the speed of an object moving toward the center of the magnet?

object’s mass and geometry

How fast can an object move to the center of the magnet?

up to 70 mph

Higher speeds in regards to an object moving toward to center of the magnet can involve…

the object moving through the scanner

When a magnetic object is at rest, or close to the center of the magnet, the force it exerts is dependent on…

the mass of the object

What happens to magnetic objects that are too large to fit through the scanner?

Because of its mass, it can exert a massive force!

1. can crush anything between itself and the magnet

2. can cause serious injury or death

What happens to electronics when near magnetic fields?

They will malfunction, but it’s not dangerous

What are the non-magnetic metals?

gold, silver, platinum, titanium, aluminum, copper, brass, and lead

What are the ferrous metals?

iron, steel, surgical stainless steal, nickel

Should all objects in the lab be considered magnetic?

Yes, unless they can be determined to be non-magnetic (i.e., 100% plastic) or are designed to be MR-safe

Is testing an object for magnetism with a permanent magnet an acceptable test?

No

Should anything be taken into the magnet room without the supervision and permission of the staff?

No

What happens to a non-magnetic metallic object as it moves through a high magnetic field?

It will experience a force that may feel like magnetism because metals are good conductors of electrical energy

The magnitude of the force is dependent on the _______ of a non-magnetic object

velocity

Moving conductive objects (non-magnetic) slowly through a high field will _____ the force

minimize

When a non-magnetic object is stationary, there is __ force on it

No

What health hazards are not allowed to enter the magnet room?

People with surgical remnants/implants in critical organs or in soft tissue (brain, spinal cord, eyes, heart, lungs)

What are some common implants/objects not allowed in the magnet room?

Harrington rods along the spine, metal flakes in eyes, deep-brain stimulators, bullet or shrapnel fragments

If an implanted object is non-magnetic, can a person enter the magnet room?

No

Can people with non-magnetic implants into the bone enter the magnet room?

Not until the doctor confirms that the bone unions are fully formed

Can people with prosthetic limbs enter the magnet room?

Yes, but only if they can removed the limb safely prior to entry

What is the protocol when magnetic objects impact or enter the magnet room?

There is no single protocol, so each sitaution must be carefully but quickly evaluated before any action is taken

What should you do first when magnetic objects impact or enter the magnet?

Determine whether there is any threat of serious injury or death caused by the object

If there is a threat of serious injury or death caused by a magnetic object impacting/entering the magnet, what should you do?

Immediately push the magnet quench button to discharge the magnetic field (red button at FIBRE; “no magnet symbol” button at NIC)

After pressing the magnet quench button, what can you now do?

Retrieve subject and evacuate

If there is no immediate threat, and the magnetic object is stuck to the outside of the magnet and it is not impacting the subject or their retrieval, what should you do?

Determine whether you can remove your subject when the magnet, then call the facility staff for assistance

How should you remove a subject when there is a magnetic object stuck to the magnet, and you think that moving the bed may dislodge the stuck object?

DO NOT use the electronic patient bed controls! Either retrieve the subject by their feet, or quench the magnet if there is no way to do so safely

Once all persons are removed from the magnet and there is no further danger to people, what should you do next?

evacuate the magnet room and do not let anyone near the magnet! place a note on the room saying it all off limits, and call NIC staff

Should you try to remove an object stuck to the magnet yourself?

No

What if the object goes into the magnet and rests against the bore? What should you do?

if possible, remove the subject from the magnet but don’t do anything that could move the object

Why not just push the quench button whenever anything gets sucked into the magnet?

Time and money! Only do so when there’s a threat of serious injury or death

If you do manage to get something magnetic sucked into/onto the magnet, what are the 3 golden rules?

1. think first, then act

2. never try to move a stuck object (don’t move the patient bed)

3. push the magnet quench button if there is risk of serous injury or death

Because of everyone’s different sensitivity to high magnetic fields, what symptoms may people get?

1. Feeling slightly dizzy when they move their head inside a high field

2. Metallic taste in the mouth

What should you do to prevent feeling dizzy after being around the high magnetic field/magnet?

move slowly in and around the magnet; SLOW YOUR MOTION! do not shake your head in the magnet

When should you start your screening process for subjects?

well before the subject arrives

What obvious items should you catch during screening subjects?

recent surgical events, implanted metal, etc.

When subjects arrive at the facility, what should you do?

screen subjects by completing the safety screening form for each person that goes into the scanner

What should you ask the subject to remove on them?

all external metallic objects (i.e., jewelry, hair clips, keys, items in pockets)

In regards to their past history, what should you ask subjects about during the screening?

whether they have any metallic implants or have had any recent surgeries or accidents that might have left metallic remnants in their body

Which is more important? Extensive screening questionnaires or a metal detector?

Extensive screening questionnaires!

Can women who are or might be pregnant get scanned?

No

If a subject feels dizzy or claustrophobic in the scanner, what physical effects can this lead to?

Panic attack or seizure

When a subject is feeling dizzy or stressed in the scanner, what can you do to help them feel better?

Reassure them that MRI is a safe procedure, but don’t force the issue if they feel extreme dizziness or stress

What are the most likely hazards as a result of an earthquake?

Fire, power outage, magnet quench, moving or falling objects

How should you minimize risk in case of an earthquake?

Restrain all peripheral equipment

If there is no light when the shaking from an earthquake stops, what should you do?

1. follow black-out procedures

2. remove the subject from the magnet

3. evacuate!

If you hear any rushing noise from the magnet after an earthquake, what should you assume?

there is a magnet quench: make sure to open the operator room and magnet room doors (if safe, get the subject). otherwise, leave the scanner on and evacuate

On your way out of evacuating from an earthquake and if it is safe to do so, you can…

check for any immediate hazards caused by the earthquake

What are the prime concerns during an earthquake?

1. your safety

2. your subject’s safety

3. speedy evacuation