ESR MR Safety and Quality Subcommittee Session

MR 9 - MR safety

February 27, 12:30 - 13:30 CET

6 min
Chairperson's introduction
Siegfried Trattnig, Vienna / Austria
18 min
MR safety at low field
Joan C. Vilanova, Girona / Spain
  1. To understand the unique safety considerations and advantages of low-field MRI systems compared to high-field systems, including reduced SAR, lower projectile risks, and compatibility with a wider range of implants and devices.
  2. To learn about the current state of low-field MRI technology and its potential applications in clinical practice, particularly for patient populations with specific safety concerns or contraindications to high-field MRI.
  3. To appreciate the importance of adapting MR safety protocols and guidelines for low-field systems, considering the differences in risk profiles, screening procedures, and patient management strategies compared to high-field MRI.
18 min
Clinical workflows for safe MRI of active devices
Johanna Maria Lieb, Basel / Switzerland
  1. To understand the challenges and risks associated with performing MRI on patients with active implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and neurostimulators, and the importance of establishing standardised clinical workflows to ensure patient safety.
  2. To learn about the key components of a comprehensive clinical workflow for safe MRI of active devices, including pre-MRI screening, device interrogation, patient preparation, MRI protocol optimisation, and post-MRI device evaluation and reprogramming.
  3. To appreciate the role of multidisciplinary collaboration among radiologists, other physicians, physicists, and MRI staff in implementing and maintaining effective clinical workflows for safe MRI of active devices and to understand the importance of ongoing education, training, and quality improvement initiatives in this area.
18 min
Controlling specific absorption rate (SAR) and radiofrequency (RF) power
Anne Dorte Blankholm, Aarhus N / Denmark
  1. To understand the concepts of SAR and RF power in MRI, their potential risks and implications for patient safety, and the regulatory guidelines and limits for SAR and RF exposure during MRI examinations.
  2. To learn about the factors that influence SAR and RF power deposition in tissues, such as magnetic field strength, RF pulse sequence parameters, patient size and anatomy, and the presence of conductive implants or devices, and to appreciate the importance of adjusting these factors to minimise SAR and RF exposure while maintaining diagnostic image quality.
  3. To explore advanced techniques and strategies for controlling SAR and RF power in MRI, including parallel transmission, RF shimming, and real-time SAR monitoring and feedback systems, and to understand their potential benefits and limitations in clinical practice.