Open AccessA New Fire Hazard for MR Imaging Systems: Blankets—Case Report
Author(s) -
Anne Bertrand,
Sandrine Brunel,
MarieOdile Habert,
Marine Soret,
Simone Jaffre,
Nicolas Capeau,
Laetitia Bourseul,
Isabelle Dufour-Claude,
Aurélie Kas,
Didier Dormont
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
radiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1527-1315
pISSN - 0033-8419
DOI - 10.1148/radiol.2017162921
Subject(s) - blanket , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , positron emission tomography , fire hazard , nuclear medicine , biomedical engineering , nuclear engineering , radiology , environmental science , materials science , composite material , environmental protection , engineering
In this report, a case of fire in a positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system due to blanket combustion is discussed. Manufacturing companies routinely use copper fibers for blanket fabrication, and these fibers may remain within the blanket hem. By folding a blanket with these copper fibers within an MR imaging system, one can create an electrical current loop with a major risk of local excessive heating, burn injury, and fire. This hazard applies to all MR imaging systems. Hybrid PET/MR imaging systems may be particularly vulnerable to this situation, because blankets are commonly used for fluorodeoxyglucose PET to maintain a normal body temperature and to avoid fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in brown adipose tissue. © RSNA, 2017.