The safety of MRI. Considerations for site planning and clinical use.

During installation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system in Cincinnati, the prongs of a forklift approaching the site were "jerked into the cylinder" of the magnet; a worker near the magnet's bore had several bones broken, and metal objects were pulled out of the pockets of his rescuers, whose magnetic automatic teller cards were erased. Thus, although MRI is considered one of the safest types of imaging available, it can still present hazards during use. The hospital CEO must be cognizant of these hazards and of ways to minimize them.