MRI Safety: RF Burns-Causes And Prevention

Abstract

Advances in the field of imaging technology have made magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), available to medical science. MRI is a powerful and versatile diagnostic tool, with the consequence of increasing popularity in its use. Developments in MRI technology have only added to increased application of MRI as a diagnostic tool across all kinds of patient populations. A vast majority of MRI examinations pass off without any untoward incident to the patients. However, the interaction of MRI technology with the human body cannot be deemed to be totally safe, with incidents of harm occurring in some cases of MRI examinations (Stokowski, 2005). Bio-effects of MRI refer to the biological effects that occur to the human body, as a result of the interaction between the magnetic resonance (MR) scanner and the human body. These bio-effects can be classified into three, namely, the static field effects, the time varying field or the gradient, and the radio-frequency (RF) effects. Tissue heating can occur through excessive RF interaction in patients, leading to RF burns (Liney, 2010). This paper evaluates the causes for RF burns and the preventive measures that can be taken to reduce the incidence of RF burns.