Information for patients
If you are a patient reading this and have a concern about an MRI scan you are scheduled to attend, we strongly recommend you contact the site where your scan is due to take place, you may also wish to refer to our ‘Information for Patients’ section. Please note local variations to the policies detailed on this website may apply, therefore please contact the hospital where your appointment is scheduled for clarification.Disclaimer (MUST READ)
The MRI safety information contained within this webpage is intended for use by staff from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) and associated health boards, namely: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Golden Jubilee, and NHS Lanarkshire. Only staff from these health boards are approved to use this information and local variations to the policies detailed may apply. Non-approved users i.e. patients and staff from health boards other than those listed above, or staff from private medical organisations use this information at their own risk. We, NHS GGC, accept no responsibility for patient injury or adverse outcomes that may occur as a consequence of the information contained herein. If you have any questions regarding this disclaimer, please contact the NHS GGC MRI physics team on: ggc.MRSafetyExpert@nhs.scot.MRI safety status of patients with staples for skin and wound closure
Must read: What this policy does not cover / Notable exceptions
This policy does not relate to aneurysm clips or hemostatic clips or fasteners. Policies for these implants are covered elsewhere. Similarly, the policy for intracranial vascular clips is covered elsewhere.
Must read: What the policy covers
This policy applies to patients with surgical staples applied superficially to the skin or internally for the purposes of wound closure. This policy does cover the use of staples for skin and wound closure of the scalp.
Must read: The MR safety policy
NHS GGC MRI safety policy states that patients with skin staples i.e. superficial skin staples and staples for internal wound closure may be safely scanned at 1.5T or 3T. This includes the situation where the MRI scan is required immediately following application of the staple or staples. This policy includes patients who may not be able to communicate for whatever reason.
Risk assessment Summary: The risk of scanning a patient with this implant is considered here:
GenericRiskAssessmentForm_MR_scanning_skin_staples
Additional background information and discussion
Clarity and consistency is required across GGC in respect of how MRI units make decisions on whether or not to scan patients who present to MRI with some form of staples.
Staples used in medical procedures are typically made from non-ferromagnetic or weakly ferromagnetic materials i.e. they are not made from a material that would translate or rotate significantly in the presence of the high static magnetic field of the MRI. In addition, staples are not of a size or shape that would typically be a concern in regard to RF heating. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, no injury or adverse event has occurred to a patient in MRI as a result of the presence of staples. This situation continues to be monitored.
See the following links on MRI safety in post-op
http://www.mrisafety.com/SafetyInformation_view.php?editid1=194
See the following links on MRI safety in clips, fasteners and staples
http://www.mrisafety.com/SafetyInformation_view.php?editid1=180