Children's Mercy Hospital Strengthens MRI Safety with Mednovus SAFESCAN® Products
Acting in advance of new code requirements, Children's Mercy Hospital deploys Mednovus SAFESCAN® ferromagnetic detection to add another layer of protection for MRI patients and staff.
Kansas City, MO, November 25, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, and its sister facility in Overland Park, KS, have both increased MRI safety protections for their patients and staff through the use of Mednovus SAFESCAN® ferromagnetic detection systems.
Both hospitals now use a combination of the hand-held SAFESCAN® Target Scanner™, and the pass-through SAFESCAN® Intercept Pillar® system. Together these systems help Children's Mercy Hospitals to more effectively screen the wide variety of patients, clinicians and equipment that enters the MRI scanning room.
While MRI exams are profoundly safe, the enormously strong persistent magnetic field of MRI scanners does introduce hazards. According to the FDA's MAUDE Database (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/search.cfm), magnetically drawn projectiles, including everything from scissors to oxygen tanks to hospital beds, have been the second most commonly reported MRI accident over the last several years.
Ferromagnetic (only) detectors such as the SAFESCAN® products seek to help eliminate the risk of these projectile, or 'missile' events by identifying magnetic materials before they are allowed to enter the room with the MRI scanner. Unlike airport style metal detectors, which alarm equally for non-magnetic materials such as aluminum or titanium, ferromagnetic detection systems alarm only on materials that could be attracted to an MRI scanner.
While new codes requiring the use of ferromagnetic detectors were not in effect at the time for either of the states in which Children's Mercy Hospitals have facilities, the hospital acted proactively, responding to recommendations from the Joint Commission, issued in their Sentinel Event Alert #38 (http://www.jointcommission.org/sentinel_event_alert_issue_38_preventing_accidents_and_injuries_in_the_mri_suite/), and the American College of Radiology, in their Guidance Document for Safe MR Practices: 2007 (http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/MRSafety/safe_mr07.aspx) to include ferromagnetic detection screening for safety.
The hospitals overcame a common difficulty in retrofitting ferromagnetic detection systems by simply moving the Pillar system in front of the outswinging MRI scanner room door.
Images of the Children's Mercy Hospital installation are available for viewing at:
http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/CMH_Pillar-1.JPG
http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/CMH_Pillar-2.JPG
While pediatric hospitals, such as Children's Mercy, often have some of the most demanding MRI safety conditions, magnetic projectile accidents remain alarmingly common, given the ease with which they can be prevented, at hospitals and imaging centers around the world.
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Both hospitals now use a combination of the hand-held SAFESCAN® Target Scanner™, and the pass-through SAFESCAN® Intercept Pillar® system. Together these systems help Children's Mercy Hospitals to more effectively screen the wide variety of patients, clinicians and equipment that enters the MRI scanning room.
While MRI exams are profoundly safe, the enormously strong persistent magnetic field of MRI scanners does introduce hazards. According to the FDA's MAUDE Database (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/search.cfm), magnetically drawn projectiles, including everything from scissors to oxygen tanks to hospital beds, have been the second most commonly reported MRI accident over the last several years.
Ferromagnetic (only) detectors such as the SAFESCAN® products seek to help eliminate the risk of these projectile, or 'missile' events by identifying magnetic materials before they are allowed to enter the room with the MRI scanner. Unlike airport style metal detectors, which alarm equally for non-magnetic materials such as aluminum or titanium, ferromagnetic detection systems alarm only on materials that could be attracted to an MRI scanner.
While new codes requiring the use of ferromagnetic detectors were not in effect at the time for either of the states in which Children's Mercy Hospitals have facilities, the hospital acted proactively, responding to recommendations from the Joint Commission, issued in their Sentinel Event Alert #38 (http://www.jointcommission.org/sentinel_event_alert_issue_38_preventing_accidents_and_injuries_in_the_mri_suite/), and the American College of Radiology, in their Guidance Document for Safe MR Practices: 2007 (http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/MRSafety/safe_mr07.aspx) to include ferromagnetic detection screening for safety.
The hospitals overcame a common difficulty in retrofitting ferromagnetic detection systems by simply moving the Pillar system in front of the outswinging MRI scanner room door.
Images of the Children's Mercy Hospital installation are available for viewing at:
http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/CMH_Pillar-1.JPG
http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/CMH_Pillar-2.JPG
While pediatric hospitals, such as Children's Mercy, often have some of the most demanding MRI safety conditions, magnetic projectile accidents remain alarmingly common, given the ease with which they can be prevented, at hospitals and imaging centers around the world.
###
Contact
Mednovus, Inc.
Tobias Gilk
800.788.0617
www.Mednovus.com
Direct Telephone -> 913-515-8449
Tobias Gilk
800.788.0617
www.Mednovus.com
Direct Telephone -> 913-515-8449
Contact
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