More and More States Adopt Requirements for Ferromagnetic Detectors for MRI Safety

Leucadia, CA, March 19, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Facilities Guidelines Institute (FGI), the publisher of the Guidelines for Design and Construction for Health Care Facilities (http://www.fgiguidelines.org/index.php), has recently released their updated list of US states that have adopted the most recent edition of the building code as their state license standards.

(A PDF copy of FGI state adoption document from January of 2012, listing many of the adopting states, is available for download from: http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/resources/FGI_Guidelines_State_adoption_12-01-04.pdf )

The most contemporary edition of this code identifies best practice requirements for the architecture and physical construction of healthcare providers' facilities, and includes a number of requirements specifically to enhance safety in the MRI environment. One of the new MRI safety requirements in the code is for facilities to provide ferromagnetic detection systems, instruments designed to identify potentially magnetic materials before they're brought into MRI scanner rooms where they may become deadly magnet-drawn projectiles.

(A PDF map of the US showing states that have adopted, or are adopting, the design requirements identified in the 2010 FGI Guidelines is available for download from: http://www.Mednovus.com/downloads/resources/FGI_Guidelines_State_Adoption_map.pdf )

In addition to the nearly 20 US states that have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, the new MRI safety requirements, another four are known to be incorporating some elements of the 2010 code into their own state standards.

Beyond the growing number of US states, the 2010 edition of the Guidelines code has also been adopted by the premier national hospital accreditation organization as its referenced design and construction standard, governing thousands of accredited hospitals across the country.

To help MRI providers meet the requirements of this code and to hep protect their patients, staff, and valuable MRI equipment, Mednovus is making their SAFESCAN® ferromagnetic detection products available to all locations where magnetic resonance equipment is used, including hospitals, imaging centers and research facilities.

Now available are the SAFESCAN® Target Scanner™ hand-held screening tool, the SAFESCAN® pass-through Intercept Pillar® system (often used for doorway protection at the entrance to MRI scanner rooms), and the new SAFESCAN® Star™ single pillar system.

These requisite safety tools are available to MRI providers directly through Mednovus, as well as through Siemens Medical Solutions, and the Amerinet group purchasing organization.