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Occupational Exposure Assessment of the Static Magnetic Field Generated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A Case Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137674. [PMID: 35805332 PMCID: PMC9265854 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance (MR) systems are used in academic research laboratories and industrial research fields, besides representing one of the most important imaging modalities in clinical radiology. This technology does not use ionizing radiation, but it cannot be considered without risks. These risks are associated with the working principle of the technique, which mainly involves static magnetic fields that continuously increase—namely, the radiofrequency (RF) field and spatial magnetic field gradient. To prevent electromagnetic hazards, the EU and ICNIRP have defined workers’ exposure limits. Several studies that assess health risks for workers and patients of diagnostic MR are reported in the literature, but data on workers’ risk evaluation using nuclear MR (NMR) spectroscopy are very poor. Therefore, the aim of this research is the risk assessment of an NMR environment, paying particular attention to workers with active implantable medical devices (AIMDs). Our perspective study consisted of the measurement of the static magnetic field around a 300 MHz (7 T) NMR research spectrometer and the computation of the electric field induced by the movements of an operator. None of the calculated exposure parameters exceeded the threshold limits imposed by legislation for protection against short-term effects of acute occupational exposure, but our results revealed that the level of exposure exceeded the action level threshold limit for workers with AIMD during the execution of tasks requiring the closest proximity to the spectrometer. Moreover, the strong dependence of the induced electric field results from the walking speed models is shown. This case study represents a snapshot of the NMR risk assessment with the specific goal to increase the interest in the safety of NMR environments.
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Hartwig V, Virgili G, Mattei FE, Biagini C, Romeo S, Zeni O, Scarfì MR, Massa R, Campanella F, Landini L, Gobba F, Modenese A, Giovannetti G. Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in magnetic resonance environment: an update on regulation, exposure assessment techniques, health risk evaluation, and surveillance. Med Biol Eng Comput 2021; 60:297-320. [PMID: 34586563 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-021-02435-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most-used diagnostic imaging methods worldwide. There are ∼50,000 MRI scanners worldwide each of which involves a minimum of five workers from different disciplines who spend their working days around MRI scanners. This review analyzes the state of the art of literature about the several aspects of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in MRI: regulations, literature studies on biological effects, and health surveillance are addressed here in detail, along with a summary of the main approaches for exposure assessment. The original research papers published from 2013 to 2021 in international peer-reviewed journals, in the English language, are analyzed, together with documents published by legislative bodies. The key points for each topic are identified and described together with useful tips for precise safeguarding of MRI operators, in terms of exposure assessment, studies on biological effects, and health surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Hartwig
- Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, San Cataldo, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Virgili
- Virgili Giorgio, Via G. Pastore 2, 26040, Crespina-Lorenzana, Italy
| | - F Ederica Mattei
- West Systems S.R.L, Via Don Mazzolari 25, 56025, Pontedera, PI, Italy
| | - Cristiano Biagini
- Associazione Italiana Tecnici Dell'Imaging in Risonanza Magnetica, AITIRM, Via XX Settembre 76, 50129, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefania Romeo
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA) , Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Naples, Italy
| | - Olga Zeni
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA) , Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Scarfì
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA) , Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Naples, Italy
| | - Rita Massa
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA) , Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Naples, Italy.,Department of Physics, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Campanella
- Dipartimento di medicina, epidemiologia, Igiene del Lavoro E Ambientale, Inail, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Landini
- Fondazione Toscana "G. Monasterio", Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, San Cataldo, Italy
| | - Fabriziomaria Gobba
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Alberto Modenese
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulio Giovannetti
- Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, San Cataldo, Italy
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Hartwig V, Biagini C, De Marchi D, Flori A, Gabellieri C, Virgili G, Ferrante Vero LF, Landini L, Vanello N, Giovannetti G. Analysis, comparison and representation of occupational exposure to a static magnetic field in a 3-T MRI site. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS 2020; 28:76-85. [PMID: 32276568 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2020.1738114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze exposure to the time-varying magnetic field caused by worker movements in a 3-T clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Measurements of the static magnetic field (B) in the proximity of the MRI scanner were performed to create a detailed map of the spatial gradient of B, in order to indicate the areas at high risk of exposure. Moreover, a personal exposure recording system was used in order to analyze and compare exposure to the static magnetic field during different routine procedures in MRI. We found that for all of the performed work activities, exposure was compliant with International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection levels. However, our findings confirm that there is great variability of exposure between different workers and suggest the importance of performing personal exposure measurements and of detailed knowledge of the magnetic field spatial distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristiano Biagini
- Associazione Italiana Tecnici dell'Imaging in Risonanza Magnetica, AITIRM, Italy
| | - Daniele De Marchi
- Associazione Italiana Tecnici dell'Imaging in Risonanza Magnetica, AITIRM, Italy.,Fondazione CNR-Regione Toscana 'G. Monasterio', Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Luigi Landini
- Fondazione CNR-Regione Toscana 'G. Monasterio', Italy.,Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Vanello
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Italy
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