Experts publish comprehensive MRI safety handbook catered to technologists
Experts in the field of MRI have collaborated on the release of a new educational book intended to arm technologists with the information they need to ensure the safety of anyone who enters the imaging suite.
“The Technologist’s MRI Safety Handbook” was written with MRI trainees and early career technologists in mind. The book is intended to fill gaps between the technical training techs complete to gain licensure and the spotty MRI safety requirements implemented by governing bodies.
The handbook is the product of a collaboration between Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, Douglas Boyd, RT (R)(MR), ARMRIT, and Peter Jablonka, RT (R)(CT)(MR), MRSO. Gilk is an MR architect and certified MRI safety expert with decades of advocacy under his belt; Boyd previously supervised the largest MRI department in the Veterans Administration system and currently serves as MRI program director at Smith Chason College’s Phoenix campus; and Jablonka has held numerous clinical imaging leadership positions, as well as having formerly served as an MRI application specialist for GE. Combined and individually, each brings decades of expertise in MRI operations, education and safety to the book.
“MRI technologist training focuses on—as it should—the operation of the MRI scanner and how the different buttons do different things, how to appropriately position patients to get the optimum clinical images...” Gilk said in a social media post detailing the book’s release. “MRI safety has long been a desired outcome but there is not a very structured pathway for helping MRI technologists understand what it is that they’re going to be asked to do in their day-to-day jobs.”
The authors begin the book with the simplest aspects of MRI safety and build from there to give readers a thorough understanding of the “hows” and the “whys” of safety protocols. The format was designed to give technologists confidence in their ability to care for patients and ably adapt to the ever-changing landscape of MRI technology. It covers everything from recent changes in MRI risks, to the chain of command with regard to departmental safety, how to read MR conditional labels, atypical imaging environments, device disabling, contrast use, error reporting and much more.
Gilk says it was "a labor of love” for him and co-authors to “try and find ways to strengthen MRI safety." He adds that the book is not intended to pin the entirety of patient safety on technologists. Rather, the group recognized the role of techs as an area where they could have the greatest positive impact.
To learn more about the book, visit mrisafetyhandbook.com.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.