What's new in MR safety: the latest on the safe use of equipment in the magnetic resonance environment.

Magnetic resonance (MR) scanners present a unique set of safety risks for the healthcare facility. In the space surrounding an MR scanner, ferromagnetic objects can become deadly projectiles, device cables can become hot enough to cause burns, and medical equipment can cease to function properly. ECRI detailed these risks--and provided recommendations to help healthcare facilities minimize them--in a December 2001 Guidance Article. In this supplement to that article, we detail some recent MR safety developments and offer additional guidance. In particular, we describe changes in the terminology used to characterize the safety of devices in the MR environment, we outline new guidance on MR safe practices published by the American College of Radiology, and we review the safety issues that facilities need to be aware of when implementing 3-tesla (3 T) MR systems. We also present an updated Starter List of medical device models that have been designed for use in the MR environment. In addition, supplementary articles address the use of ferromagnetic detection systems and the selection of a fire extinguisher for use in the MR environment.