Interventional MR imaging at 1.5 T: quantification of sound exposure.
Sound pressure levels (SPLs) during interventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may create an occupational hazard for the interventional radiologist (ie, the potential risk of hearing impairment). Therefore, A-weighted and linear continuous-equivalent SPLs were measured at the entrance of a 1.5-T MR imager during cardiovascular and real-time pulse sequences. The SPLs ranged from 81.5 to 99.3 dB (A-weighted scale), and frequencies were from 1 to 3 kHz. SPLs for the interventional radiologist exceeded a safe SPL of 80 dB (A-weighted scale) for all sequences; therefore, hearing protection is recommended.
Department of Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, 50 Dr Molewaterplein, P.O. Box 1738, the Netherlands. moelker@rdiag.fgg.eur.nl
Adriaan
A
Moelker
Ronald A J J
RA
Maas
Franck
F
Lethimonnier
Peter M T
PM
Pattynama
D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013016:Sound