MR Patient Care, Safety and Contrast Administration

Abstract

The field of magnetic resonance (MR) is rapidly expanding and the number of high field strength magnets (1.5 and 3.0 Tesla) being installed is on the rise. High performance gradients allow for ultra fast imaging and therefore more sophisticated and complex exams can be performed in a very short time. To ensure the safety of both patient and health care workers and to maintain a safe MR environment, safety guidelines and policies should be in place and strictly adhered to. These policies should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. The purpose of this article is to review the safety aspects of the static magnetic field (1.5 and 3.0 Tesla), the gradient and the radiofrequency fields. Further, we will discuss topics on patient care and contrast agents administration specific for the MR environment.