Image Wisely rolls out new MRI safety course following slew of accidents
Image Wisely is now offering a new case study on MRI safety fundamentals—the first CE/CME course on the topic, according to its author, Tobias Gilk, an expert on MRI safety.
The course is intended to “enhance learner competence on the physics and physiology underpinnings of many of the contemporary clinical MRI safety considerations in MRI patient care.”
It will touch on the three electromagnetic fields of MRI systems, describe their risks and detail how to mitigate them.
In a previous interview with Health Imaging, Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, senior VP of RAD-Planning and founder of Gilk Radiology Consultants, said that he feels like MRI safety risks are even greater today than they were decades ago.
This is due, in part, to the growing complexity of the patient population who require the assistance of some sort of medical device—aneurysm clips or insulin pump, for example—that increases the risk of an interaction with the magnetic field. However, the uptick in adverse events could also be owed to a lack of minimum MRI safety standards, as there are many recommendations on the topic, but very few actual safety requirements.
The American College of Radiology will reward those who complete the course 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Registered radiologic technologists and radiation therapists will receive 1.0 Category A Credit hour upon completion.
The course is available now until April 17, 2027.
MRI accidents on the rise
The course’s release follows a slew of reported MRI accidents that have occurred in recent years.
Last summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report detailing an incident that involved a woman being shot in the buttocks by her own gun when she carried it with her to her MRI appointment. In another accident involving a gun in January of 2023, a man in Brazil passed away from a gunshot wound to the abdomen after he wore his gun in a holster on his waist when helping assist his mother during her appointment.
Last October, Kaiser Permanente was fined almost $20,000 by OSHA for an accident that happened at one of its locations in Redwood City, California. According to the incident report, that accident involved a nurse transporting a patient to an MRI suite on a gurney, allegedly sucked into the MRI bore, causing the patient to fall off the stretcher and the nurse to sustain serious injuries.
These are just a few of the many reported accidents that have occurred over the last couple of years.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.