Donald W. McRobbie1, Michael Oberle2, Annie Papadaki1, Rebecca Quest1, Kjell Hansson Mild3, Myles Capstick2, Jeff Hand1, Niels Kuster2
1Radiological Sciences Unit, Imperial College Healthcare, London, UK; 2IT'IS Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland; 3Radiation Physics, University of Umea, Umea, Sweden
A study of clinical practice in four European MR centres from 1T-7T revealed significant working practices which exceed ICNIRP Reference Values and proposed legislative Action Values for static and gradient field exposures. In particular, monitoring of patients undergoing general anaesthesia, interventional MRI and fMRI with a tactile stimulus exceeded dB/dt action values. Movement in the static field at 7T also exceeded the relevant action value. These practices are threatened by proposed legislation.