MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY Zone I Accessibility Unrestricted
Table 4. Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging Zones Description
Area outside of and furthest from the MR environment and accessible to all personnel or the general public.1,2
II Controlled
Area between unrestricted zone I and strictly controlled zone III/IV where MR screening of patients and personnel occurs. Accessible under the supervision of MR personnel.1,2
III Strictly controlled
Area immediately adjacent to the MR scanner room and with strictly controlled access granted by MR personnel only to individuals and equipment that have been screened. The potential for serious injury or death as a result of unscreened individuals or equipment interacting with the MR scanner’s magnetic fields exists. Zones III and IV are accessible to non-MR personnel only when they are accompanied by or under the immedi- ate supervision of level 2 MR personnel.1,2
IV Restricted
The room that contains the MR scanner and is subject to the strongest magnetic forces. Signage reflects potential danger from the strong magnetic field with a red light or a lighted sign indicating “Magnet On.” This zone is restricted to individuals and equipment that have been screened and are under the direct supervision of MR personnel.1,2
Only non-ferromagnetic items
can be in this zone because of the danger of metal items becoming projectiles in zone IV.
References
1. ACR Manual on MR Safety. 1.0 ed. Reston, VA: American College of Radiology: ACR Committee on MR Safety; 2020. 2. Practice advisory on anesthetic care for magnetic resonance imaging: An updated report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists task force on anes- thetic care for magnetic resonance imaging. Anesthesiology. 2015;122(3):495-520.
Examples
Public corridor or outside of the perioperative space
Waiting room, patient screening or holding areas
Control room or holding area for screened patients
OR where the MR scanner is used
technologists) have more extensive training and supervise all non-MR personnel in zones III and IV.146
6.6 6.6.1
All individuals entering zone III should first pass an MR safety screening process.146
[Recommendation]
Patients who enter the MR environment for non-emergency procedures should undergo MR safety screening at least twice before being allowed into the MR environment, and at least one of the screenings should be performed by an MR technologist.146
[Recommendation] 6.6.2
Patients and accompanying non-MR personnel who enter the MR environment to undergo emer- gency procedures may be screened only once if
552 6.6.4
the individual performing the screening is an MR technologist.146
[Conditional Recommendation] If an exception to this is necessary, the MR
director and surgeon mutually agree to forego screening before granting the patient access to the MR environment and acknowledge the potential risks of that decision.146
6.6.3
Perform MR safety screenings for patients and personnel in accordance with the health care organization’s policy and procedure for MR safety. [Recommendation]
The screening process for patients and personnel should be identical.146