Important Note: Students that are pursuing a career in MRI must be fully aware of the magnetic fields that are used and also understand the consequences of not following safety guidelines. Students that are accepted into the program will be required to undergo a safety screening by completing a MRI safety screening form. Please understand that admission is conditional upon the screening form being reviewed and deemed safe for the student to perform his/her duties in the MRI environment. Please review the following information regarding MRI Safety and the ACR Manual on MRI Safety.

The powerful magnetic field of the scanner can attract certain metallic objects that are ferromagnetic, causing them to move suddenly and with great force towards the center of the MRI system/scanner. This may pose a risk to you or anyone in the path of the object. Therefore, great care is taken to prevent ferromagnetic objects from entering the MRI scanner room.

It is vital that you remove metallic objects before entering the MRI static magnetic field, including watches, jewelry, and items of clothing that have metallic threads or fasteners.

Items that need to be removed before entering the MR system room include:

  • Purse, wallet, money clip, credit cards or other cards with magnetic strips
  • Electronic devices such as beepers or cell phones
  • Hearing aids
  • Metallic jewelry, watches
  • Pens, paper clips, keys, nail clippers, coins, pocket knives
  • Hair barrettes, hairpins
  • Any article of clothing that has a metallic zipper, buttons, snaps, hooks, or under-wires
  • Shoes, belt buckles, safety pins

Before entering the MRI scanner room, you will be asked to fill out a screening form asking about anything that might create a health risk or even death. If you have a bullet, shrapnel, or similar metallic fragment in your body, there is a potential risk that it could change position, possibly causing injury.

Also, the magnetic field of the scanner can damage an external hearing aid or cause a cardiac pacemaker to malfunction.

Examples of items or things that may create a health hazard or other problems:

  • Pacemaker
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
  • Neurostimulator system
  • Aneurysm clip
  • Metallic implant
  • Implanted drug infusion device
  • Foreign metal objects, especially if in or near the eye
  • Shrapnel or bullet
  • Permanent cosmetics or tattoos (if being scanned)
  • Dentures/teeth with magnetic keepers
  • Other implants that involve magnets
  • Medication patches that contain metal foil (i.e., transdermal patch)