MRI Screening Process

Safety Screening Questionnaire: The patient or guardian (for a child) must complete the screening form or webpage. The screening questions may NOT be answered by others (e.g., medical staff, relatives). If the patient appears to be unable to reliably answer the screening questions, proceed as for “Patients with Limited Communication Capacity” below.

Level 1 Screening Process:

  • Review the Safety Screening Questionnaire: Confirm that the screening form is complete.
  • Examine the patient: Ensure no clothing, jewelry, medication patch, electrode or other object is on the skin surface. Palpate for a pacemaker pulse generator.
  • Perform Ferromagnetic Detection: Any patient who can stand MUST be screened with the FerraAlert Solo detector prior to entering Zone 3.

Level 2 Screening Process:

  • Review of the Safety Screening Questionnaire: The MR technologist must review the questions and answers with the patient to clarify any ambiguity and to ensure the patient’s reliability and understanding.
  • Review of Prior Imaging and EMR: The most recent (if any) imaging studies (images and reports) and the medical record must be reviewed to identify any potentially unsafe implant or foreign body.
  • Screening Patients with Limited Communication Capacity: Example situations include, but are not limited to dementia, coma, young children, nonverbal patients. Caregivers may only complete the screening form if they have sufficient knowledge of the patient’s history.
  • If the patient cannot complete screening and no knowledgeable caregiver or family member is available, Level II MR personnel must physically examine the patient and then utilize one of the imaging approaches below. Prior to MRI, the images must be reviewed and reported by a faculty radiologist:
    • Review prior radiographic or CT studies to exclude devices that may pose a risk to the patient in the MRI scanner. Images must cover the entire body with the exception of the legs below the knees and the arms below the elbows.
    • Obtain a “CT scout for MR clearance” (order in Epic) that covers the top of the skull through the knees. The order is available on Epic (labeled “CT scout for MR clearance”).