This article is from in the January 2008 issue of DOTmed Business News. A list of registered users that provide sales & service can be found at the end.

You are already familiar with the care taken to protect patients during MRI studies, such as getting written documentation of their suitability for the exam. (Did you ever work with metals? Do you have cochlear implants?) Your facility no doubt has measures to ensure that no ferrous or magnetic metals enter the MRI suite. But these protocols are just the final step in a thoughtful process to protect patients and the magnet itself. Well before the magnet is placed into service (or an MRI machine is replaced), the site and suite must be completely shielded by specialized contractors.

How large is the business of MRI shielding? DOTmed experts estimate that around 600 to 700 MRI shields are installed each year in the U.S. However that number may be shrinking while the industry is getting more competitive, according to Mark Holder, Operations Manager, Global Partners in Shielding, Inc., Passaic, NJ. "The small guys are dropping out and only the serious shielding companies are left," he says.



While most shielding projects are done from the ground up for new magnet installations, the upgrade segment is growing faster. Up to 20 percent of MRIs are installed into existing suites that must be modified for equipment upgrades. Some insurers are choosing not to cover the lower-field open MRIs anymore, further driving the upgrade market.

"We haven't seen market saturation as far as new magnets but it's coming. The upgrade business is going to be going on forever," Holder predicts.

The cost of MRI shielding runs anywhere from about $25,000 up to $1 million for a super high-field research magnet which can top 7 tesla on the measurement scale of magnetic inductivity. Most MRIs in clinical settings are in the range of 0.2 to 3 tesla.

A Field of Service Providers

MRI shielding has multiple purposes: to prevent electromagnetic fields from escaping the MRI suite, to prevent radiofrequency (RF) waves from infiltrating into the room (radio stations, planes, wireless networks), and to guard against noise from nearby sources of electrical current. All of these forces cause problems. A (5 gauss) magnetic field leach can cause harm to patients with pacemakers. Other sensitive equipment may also be impaired by subtle magnetic forces. RF and electrical interference can distort MR image quality. Many contractors offer solutions to these challenges through the use of various materials and approaches to fit the specifics of your MRI technology and your facility.

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