Is MRI As Safe As We Think? (RADIOLOGICAL TIPS) (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) (Report‪)‬

Introduction Magnetic resonance imaging was introduced as a clinical imaging modality by Lauterbur in 1972. (1) Since then, more than a hundred million diagnostic procedures have been completed worldwide, with relatively few major incidents or side-effects. (2) A potential health hazard of MRI is the influence of static, gradient and radiofrequency fields. Although guidelines have been laid for maximum permissible limits for each of these fields, they have been regarded as '... interim and somewhat arbitrary in nature'. (3) Numerous research studies conducted to date have failed to demonstrate any significant or unexpected hazards at currently used field strengths in clinical MRI; however, the data are not comprehensive enough to assume absolute safety.