Services
MRI Safety Training
Who needs training: Anyone who intends to work in the scanner environment must complete safety training. Per IRC policy, principal investigators must also complete training, regardless of whether they plan to be present during scanning.
Initial training must be completed on-site with the IRC's Safety Officer, James Wallis, and includes a lecture, a safety video, and an online quiz.
Annual renewal is required for all active scanner users and safety monitors, and can be completed online by passing the MRI safety quiz. Training status is tracked in the IRC Calendar.
General expectation: All personnel must have a working knowledge of, and a willingness to follow, all safety requirements.
Note: Undergraduates are not eligible to operate the MRI scanner. However, they are eligible to undergo safety training to become safety monitors.
Safety Documents
Enrollment and Questions
To register for the next available safety training session or to check your current training status, please contact:
James Wallis
jmwallis@health.ucdavis.edu
Operating Practices
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Staffing Requirements During Scans
- A minimum of two safety-trained individuals must be present for every MRI scan, at all times.
- There must be a one-to-one ratio of safety-trained lab members to subjects/patients and to any accompanying persons (e.g., a parent or family member).
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Implants
If participants have any type of implants (i.e. orthopedic hardware, heart stents, surgery clips, electronic implants, etc.), you cannot proceed with the MRI scan until written documents from the manufacturer, stating the conditions that must be followed to safely scan the participant, have been approved by James Wallis (MRI Safety Officer) or designated IRC tech support personnel.
- If a participant has had an MRI with an implant, do not assume the participant is safe to scan. You must still have approval before scanning your participant.
- When implant approval is required, the manufacturer's name, the implant name, the implant model number, and the physician’s operative report must be submitted to the MRI Safety Officer.
- Always allow a minimum of 7 days before your participant's appointment to receive the manufacturer’s recommendation for safely scanning the participant with an implant.
- If unable to obtain written documents confirming the conditions for safely performing an MRI scan, the participant may not be allowed to participate in an MRI study.
- Violation of this policy is grounds for immediate suspension of the research lab, and all scheduled MRI scans will be canceled until the violation has been resolved.
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Glasses
We currently provide MR Safe glasses at the scanners in both Sacramento and Davis. The MRI-safe glasses range from -1.00 to -7.00 diopters in strength. They can simply be clipped onto the outside of the 32-channel head coil.
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Outside Equipment
Please store any approved outside equipment needed for scans on site to avoid accidentally bringing unapproved items into the MRI environment. After your equipment has been approved, provide your own labeled clear storage bins. Labels should include your lab name to prevent confusion.
Contact: James Wallis jmwallis@health.ucdavis.edu
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Technical Problems
Please send a description of the problem and we will respond as soon as possible.
Contact: IRC Tech Support irc-tech-support@ucdavis.edu
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Incidental Findings
Incidental findings are any unexpected brain abnormalities discovered during an MRI research scan, including abnormal vasculature, cysts, lesions, neuromas, or other anomalies.
Important Instructions:
- Do not inform research subjects of incidental findings.
- Immediately notify your principal investigator and James Wallis jmwallis@health.ucdavis.edu, providing as much detail as possible, including the type and location of the finding.
- Free radiological reads are available for colleagues, performed by a trained radiologist.
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Operator Training and After-Hours Training
For scans conducted outside regular business hours (Mon – Fri, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays), scanner operators must complete additional after-hours training. Operators become eligible for this training after successfully completing five scans.