by
Kathy Mahdoubi, Senior Correspondent | February 10, 2010
Mike Lahita says there has been about a 50 percent increase in 3 Tesla systems during the past year or two. Another developing trend in shielding is with intra-operative MRI. ETS-Lindgren has six intra-operative MRI projects scheduled for 2010.
Shielding from Day one
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Before shielding can be installed, there must first be a series of testing conducted to evaluate vibration, the electromagnetic interference and acoustic disturbance at the install site. The manufacturers' manual and site specifications have become holy scripts for tradesmen, as different machines can have very different site requirements. A series of site drawings are completed and discussion begins as the customer and the RF shielding vendor work out the optimal product and design.
"Properly planning the shield package is by far the most effective way to have that phase of the construction go smoothly," says Krachon. "The most effective way to achieve this is to assign a qualified project manager that can work with all parties so they can fully understand what is expected of them. This includes full disclosure of the site conditions, constant communication with engineering, contractor and architectural resources, including shield vendor resources. Once all is well defined, it is much more likely that a competent shielding vendor will have the proper materials and installation resources available to complete the installation on time and with minimal change notices."
National MRI Shielding installers
putting up silicon steel
for magnetic shielding
Once drawings are approved, the manufacturing of the shielding gets underway. Materials vary slightly from vendor to vendor in terms of the thickness of the copper, steel, or aluminum and how it is fabricated. Once the shielding has been installed and the MRI scanner has been brought in through access panels in the enclosure, the access panels are then removed and final RF testing is completed and signed off by the customer.
Modular Versus Soldered Construction
These are the two major types of shielding designs. Modular is often a more affordable and versatile option, while soldered enclosures are a heavier and usually longer-lasting option. Both have their advantages and limitations.
