The Magnet is Always On: Elevating Our Standards During MR Safety Week

Last Updated: July 2026

Today marks the beginning of MR Safety Week — a time to recognize both the remarkable capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the responsibility we share to perform every examination safely.

For many patients, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the single tool that provides the answer they need for diagnosis and treatment of a myriad of health issues. We can map brain pathways, identify subtle cancer markers or evaluate cardiac functions in ways we have never been able to before. I see every day how a single, precise scan can change everything for a patient, moving them from uncertainty to a more informed diagnosis and treatment plan.

As clinical team members, we must always remember one fundamental principle: the magnet is always on. MR Safety Week serves as an opportunity to reinforce that safety is not an annual initiative or a checklist completed before a scan — it is a daily system of disciplined processes, vigilance, and shared accountability.

Why MR Safety Requires Dedicated Discipline

The superconducting magnets inside our facilities generate a magnetic field thousands of times stronger than the Earth’s natural field. This force is invisible, constant, and powerful enough to transform ordinary metal objects into dangerous projectiles (think jewelry, oxygen cylinders, wheelchairs). But there’s risk beyond visible objects. Implantable medical devices must be accurately identified and evaluated to determine whether they are MR Safe, MR Conditional, or MR Unsafe and to ensure that any required scanning conditions are followed.

Delivering safe MR imaging requires knowledgeable professionals, standardized workflows, continuous training, and a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Operational Safety in Practice

High-quality imaging depends on delivering accurate diagnostic information through reliable, standardized, and safe processes. A secure imaging environment relies on highly trained professionals who treat risk mitigation as a collective effort:

• Strict Zone Enforcement: We tightly regulate access to the magnet room, ensuring no unscreened personnel or unapproved ferromagnetic items ever cross the threshold into secure zones.

• Systematic Screening: Our schedulers and clinical staff identify and verify implant information during intake using medical records, manufacturer documentation, and approved MR safety resources to assess patient-specific risks and required scanning conditions.
• Technological Defenses: We utilize specialized screening tools and detection systems to provide a secondary line of defense before a patient enters the scanner environment.

• Empowered Teams: We foster a culture where every team member is expected and empowered to speak up if they see a potential hazard.

By aligning these disciplines under standardized workflows, we help ensure that our MR safety practices consistently meet recognized standards and our own rigorous internal expectations.

Verification: Every Scan, Every Day

With over 100 fixed sites and the nation’s largest fleet of mobile imaging, we approach every scan, every day with precision. MR Safety Week provides an opportunity to validate our workflows, reinforce best practices, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Throughout the week our Team Members across the country are participating in safety challenges, reviewing site-specific protocols, and sharing operational insights. This protects our patients, our staff, and the integrity of the diagnostic data we deliver to referring physicians. While MR Safety Week provides an opportunity for focused education, our commitment to safety does not begin or end this week. The same standards apply to every patient, every examination, every day.

A Message of Partnership

Success for our patients isn’t possible without our Team Members being focused on safety – and for that, we are grateful to have their attention to detail.

To our partners, trust that we remain committed to the highest level of patient safety in every patient encounter.

Article written by: Dr. Nasir Siddiqui, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Akumin