A health and safety model for occupational exposure to radiofrequency fields and static magnetic fields from 1.5 and 3 T MRI scanners
- Rathebe, Phoka, Weyers, C., Raphela, F.
- Authors: Rathebe, Phoka , Weyers, C. , Raphela, F.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Health and safety , Occupational exposure , Model
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/426304 , uj:36561 , Rathebe, P., Weyers, C., Raphela, F.: A health and safety model for occupational exposure to radiofrequency fields and static magnetic fields from 1.5 and 3 T MRI scanners.
- Description: Abstract: The exposure of MRI staff to SMFs and RF fields in the MRI units happen as a result of their induced movement in the MRI room during patients’ examination. Exposure to SMFs among health care workers has been associated with vertigo, nausea, increased heart rate, hypothermia and metallic taste in the mouth. The only known adverse effects associated with RF fields’ exposure include induced tissue heating, and the scientific arguments regarding non-thermal effects are inconclusive. The emission of MRI-related electromagnetic fields and exposure of workers to RF energy and SMFs can be reduced through implementation of reasonably practicable control measures. This study attempts to recommend the hierarchy of controls that can be implemented in the MRI units to reduce emissions and exposure of MRI staff to RF energy and SMFs. The controls are recommended based on exposure assessment conducted to quantify the exposure levels and self-reported priori-related and unrelated health consequences. In the MRI units, elimination is an impractical measure, hence, the implementation of engineering and administrative control measures as well as the utilisation of personal protective equipment (PPE) are recommended to mitigate exposure. Engineering controls include modification of MRI scanners to reduce emissions while administration controls include the design of work schedules and processes to be adaptive by MRI staff. PPE is recommended as a last resort and include protective equipment that are fit to reduce exposure arriving to workers. In South Africa, there is no legislation to assist in enforcing exposure limits and as a result, exposure levels are uncontrolled. The model of this kind could assist in reducing exposure levels in the MRI units and substantially reduce exposure-related effects amongst workers.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rathebe, Phoka , Weyers, C. , Raphela, F.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Health and safety , Occupational exposure , Model
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/426304 , uj:36561 , Rathebe, P., Weyers, C., Raphela, F.: A health and safety model for occupational exposure to radiofrequency fields and static magnetic fields from 1.5 and 3 T MRI scanners.
- Description: Abstract: The exposure of MRI staff to SMFs and RF fields in the MRI units happen as a result of their induced movement in the MRI room during patients’ examination. Exposure to SMFs among health care workers has been associated with vertigo, nausea, increased heart rate, hypothermia and metallic taste in the mouth. The only known adverse effects associated with RF fields’ exposure include induced tissue heating, and the scientific arguments regarding non-thermal effects are inconclusive. The emission of MRI-related electromagnetic fields and exposure of workers to RF energy and SMFs can be reduced through implementation of reasonably practicable control measures. This study attempts to recommend the hierarchy of controls that can be implemented in the MRI units to reduce emissions and exposure of MRI staff to RF energy and SMFs. The controls are recommended based on exposure assessment conducted to quantify the exposure levels and self-reported priori-related and unrelated health consequences. In the MRI units, elimination is an impractical measure, hence, the implementation of engineering and administrative control measures as well as the utilisation of personal protective equipment (PPE) are recommended to mitigate exposure. Engineering controls include modification of MRI scanners to reduce emissions while administration controls include the design of work schedules and processes to be adaptive by MRI staff. PPE is recommended as a last resort and include protective equipment that are fit to reduce exposure arriving to workers. In South Africa, there is no legislation to assist in enforcing exposure limits and as a result, exposure levels are uncontrolled. The model of this kind could assist in reducing exposure levels in the MRI units and substantially reduce exposure-related effects amongst workers.
- Full Text:
Some health effects of exposure to static magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy among MRI staff working with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla scanners in South Africa
- Rathebe, P., Weyers, C., Raphela, F.
- Authors: Rathebe, P. , Weyers, C. , Raphela, F.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Health effects , MRI scanners , Exposure assessment
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/430610 , uj:37122 , Citation: Rathebe, P., Weyers, C. & Raphela, F. 2020. Some health effects of exposure to static magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy among MRI staff working with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla scanners in South Africa.
- Description: Abstract: Occupational exposure to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-related electromagnetic fields is associated with the development of adverse and transient health effects. The aim of this study was to assess the health effects associated with exposure to Static Magnetic Fields (SMFs) and radiofrequency (RF) energy amongst MRI staff in 1.5 and 3.0 T MRI units. Data were collected through questionnaires completed by 42 MRI staff members working in Hospital A (57.89%) and Hospital B (42.11%) in the Mangaung metropolitan region. Of the participating staff, four did not indicate the facilities in which they worked. Twenty-four of the participants were female and eighteen were male, and their mean age was 37 years (range of 20 to 61). The questionnaire was categorized in terms of the participants’ biographical, work, and health-related information. Radiographers (35.71%), student radiographers (11.9%), nurses (9.52%), medical physicists (4.76%), maintenance engineers (4.76%), radiologists (9.52%), and cleaners (23.81%) working in both hospitals participated in the study. The data was analysed to determine the percentages and frequencies for the categorical data. Of the 42 participants, 30.95% reported hypertension, 11.9% reported hypotension, 2.38% reported cataracts, 16.67% reported depression, and 16.67% reported increased heart rates as a priori-unrelated health effects. Regarding priori-related health effects, 26.19% of the participants reported a metallic taste, 40.48% reported vertigo, 21.43% reported nausea, 7.14% reported hypothermia, 2.38% reported hyperthermia, 19.05% reported concentration difficulties, 21.43% reported blurred vision, and 19.05% reported vitamin deficiencies. Vertigo was reported to be the most common SMF exposurerelated effect. Of the 61.9% of MRI staff who wore PPE, 30.77% were found to wear MRI-related PPE when working in the MRI units. The results reported in this study were found to be consistent with the exposure-related effects of MRI units investigated in many other studies. The results also suggest future studies that could determine the association between exposure and the development of depression and cataracts in a larger study population of MRI workers.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rathebe, P. , Weyers, C. , Raphela, F.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Health effects , MRI scanners , Exposure assessment
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/430610 , uj:37122 , Citation: Rathebe, P., Weyers, C. & Raphela, F. 2020. Some health effects of exposure to static magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy among MRI staff working with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla scanners in South Africa.
- Description: Abstract: Occupational exposure to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-related electromagnetic fields is associated with the development of adverse and transient health effects. The aim of this study was to assess the health effects associated with exposure to Static Magnetic Fields (SMFs) and radiofrequency (RF) energy amongst MRI staff in 1.5 and 3.0 T MRI units. Data were collected through questionnaires completed by 42 MRI staff members working in Hospital A (57.89%) and Hospital B (42.11%) in the Mangaung metropolitan region. Of the participating staff, four did not indicate the facilities in which they worked. Twenty-four of the participants were female and eighteen were male, and their mean age was 37 years (range of 20 to 61). The questionnaire was categorized in terms of the participants’ biographical, work, and health-related information. Radiographers (35.71%), student radiographers (11.9%), nurses (9.52%), medical physicists (4.76%), maintenance engineers (4.76%), radiologists (9.52%), and cleaners (23.81%) working in both hospitals participated in the study. The data was analysed to determine the percentages and frequencies for the categorical data. Of the 42 participants, 30.95% reported hypertension, 11.9% reported hypotension, 2.38% reported cataracts, 16.67% reported depression, and 16.67% reported increased heart rates as a priori-unrelated health effects. Regarding priori-related health effects, 26.19% of the participants reported a metallic taste, 40.48% reported vertigo, 21.43% reported nausea, 7.14% reported hypothermia, 2.38% reported hyperthermia, 19.05% reported concentration difficulties, 21.43% reported blurred vision, and 19.05% reported vitamin deficiencies. Vertigo was reported to be the most common SMF exposurerelated effect. Of the 61.9% of MRI staff who wore PPE, 30.77% were found to wear MRI-related PPE when working in the MRI units. The results reported in this study were found to be consistent with the exposure-related effects of MRI units investigated in many other studies. The results also suggest future studies that could determine the association between exposure and the development of depression and cataracts in a larger study population of MRI workers.
- Full Text:
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