Can a Ferromagnetic Detection System (FMD) help prevent a catastrophic event?

We live in an ever-changing world of medicine.  Technology continues to advance which provides all of us the options for diagnosis, treatment, and improved outcomes.  The start of this advancement begins in the ability to diagnose more accurately and efficiently.  The MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has quickly become one of the preferred methods of imaging as it provides some of the most in depth and accurate visibility of our soft tissues.  The request for these scans are ever increasing.  They scan for the diagnosis of common items you may hear on the news like soft tissue tears, think ACLs or Achilles in sports or even cancer diagnosis.  But, the side of MRI imaging that goes unnoticed by most of our population in light of the fact it has arguably seen the highest growth rate in the industry is the imaging of critical care patients.

 MRI provides our inpatient clinicians consistent and accurate diagnosis imaging which allows for a better and a more directed treatment plan.  Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Medical Intensive Care Unit, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit have all experienced immense spikes in their visits to MRI.  There are benefits are immense, but this brings a whole new threat not widely experienced in this field.  The quantity of new clinicians who are unfamiliar with an MRI are now expected to adopt the safety standards of the technicians who work in and around these devices each day.   There are safety precautions and guidelines that must take place when protecting this environment.  With one high acuity patient, a MRI technician could as a result be responsible for screening the patient and/or family member, a nurse or two, respiratory therapist, CRNA, and transport member all in a single visit.  Because of the increase in personnel, we now have devices, like a ferromagnetic detector (FMD), in our industry that help prevent and alert staff when a magnetic device enters the MRI room.

 Most are unaware of the safety implications and threats that exist in and around an MRI machine including many hospital staff members.  Yes, most are aware a MRI does not emit radiation and therefore is far safer with regards to long term exposure for both the patients and staff.  However, a MRI machine is just a really large magnet that polarizes our atoms in a particular direction which allows the software to develop a picture of the patient’s tissue being scanned.  As a child, if you have ever played with a magnet, you understand the attraction and speed at which a magnetic device will stick to the magnet.  And the magnets we would play with weigh a few grams.  Well, an MRI machine weighs roughly 10,000 lbs. with enough magnetic force to pull objects as large as a hospital bed into it.

 We have seen publicly several MRI accidents over the past year with many, many more lesser accidents going unreported.  Hospitals and Healthcare systems have continued to put in place new policies and procedures to help improve safety, but we still see accidents happening far too often.  MRI technicians are stretched too thin and required to now manage a much higher acuity patient, including all those from the clinical staff.  This all results in a far more crowded MRI space with a lot of personnel not familiar with these safety guidelines.  In comes the importance of a ferromagnetic detector (FMD).  These devices are designed to alert both with visible and audible alarms when any ferrous (magnetic) object enters the MRI suite.

 Much like a metal detector you may experience at a shopping mall, these ferromagnetic detector (FMD) devices are doorway entry systems that can help prevent a person with a ferrous object from unknowingly entering the zone IV MRI suite without notice by the MRI technician.  They can be a failsafe that provides the hospital, staff and patients a second set of eyes on any entrance into your MRI suite. 

 We like the ever changing and improving healthcare industry, but it doesn’t come without threats.  Companies continue to innovate to help keep up with the changes, and providing safety improvements is one of them.