by
Lauren Dubinsky, Senior Reporter | September 09, 2022
From the September 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
A facility may only need to replace a door or window. However, they also run the risk of having to remove some or all the interior finishes to access shield seams and check for water damage.
“There may be a point when the customer realizes that the remediation is so extensive and expensive that it would be [better] to consider a full shield replacement,” said Krachon. “An experienced shield vendor should be able to explain options and let the customer know the shield upgrade scope before any final upgrade construction schedule is set.”
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Things can get even more complicated if you plan to purchase a new unit from a different MR vendor. Going with that option might require you to remove, replace or refit the penetration panel interface, cryogen waveguide, and magnet and table anchors.
Repair or replace?
Oftentimes, the state of a shield will be largely unknown until you get into the process of troubleshooting it. Turner compared testing the room to fixing a leak in a boat, in that you need to fix the biggest leak before you can find the next leak and so on and so forth.
“It’s an iterative process,” he explained. “Every site is different and it’s not black and white that you will always need a new shield if ‘x.’ Your best bet is to work with a shield vendor that you’ve done business with before, that you were happy with.”
Joel Kellogg, global director of marketing at ETS-Lindgren, said that you might only see a little bit of leakage around the penetration panel if the shield is in good shape. You might also see some leakage around the door and windows, but he assured it’s an easy fix.
“On occasion, you might end up with a room where it is leaking everywhere, providing minimal attenuation,” he said. “That starts to become an indicator that you're probably better off just replacing that shield versus trying to fix all those leaks.”
To Newman, one of the biggest culprits is water damage and it’s hard to tell the full extent of the damage on the shield. This type of damage can happen because of a hurricane flood or a sprinkler pipe bursting.
Universal Shielding Corporation’s RF panels are particle board lined with galvanized steel on both sides. If water comes into contact with the particle board, the panels may swell and cause the screws in the steel channel system to pop off, or the channel could oxidize.
“We could go out to a site and test the shield and it could be fine, but then if they had water damage, it may not be fine two or three weeks or months later,” he said. “We often tell people that you need to replace at least the parts of the shield where the water came in and where there is visible damage.”
Steven Ford
Misinformation in your RF shield planning story
September 14, 2022 11:06
It's certainly not true that if the MRI magnet 5g line is inside the RF room, then magnetic shielding is of no concern. Every MRI manufacturer warns against moving large steel masses relatively far away from the magnet (such as trains and elevators) that can damage the image quality and may require magnetic shielding to mitigate.
Likewise, making generalizations about OEM vs. independent service providers is not always accurate. OEMs make mistakes and take shortcuts, too. We've corrected many problems that were created by OEM providers and their planners and contractors.
Clinics and hospitals who are trying to learn about MRI planning and RF shields are well-advised to find a trusted MRI partner who can give them personalized advice. They should avoid any provider who does not make a trip to the site early in the process to confirm that the site is suitable for an MRI.
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