title: Sensory perceptions of individuals exposed to the static field of a 7T MRI: A controlled blinded study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the subjective experience of subjects undergoing 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to a mock scanner with no magnetic field.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 44 healthy subjects were exposed to both the B0 field of a 7T whole-body MRI and a realistic mock scanner with no magnetic field. Subjects were blinded to the actual field strength and no scanning was performed. After exposure, subjects rated their experience of potential sensory perceptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequently observed side effect was vertigo while entering the gantry, which was reported by 38.6% (n = 17). Other frequent side effects were the appearance of phosphenes (18.2%, n = 8), thermal heat sensation (15.9%), unsteady gait after exposure (13.6%, n = 6), and dizziness (13.6%). All side effects were reported significantly more often after 7T exposure. Nine subjects (20.5%) did not report any sensory perceptions at all, ie, neither in the 7T scanner nor in the mock scanner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Light, acute, and transient sensory perceptions can occur in subjects undergoing ultrahighfield MRI, of which vertigo seems to be the most frequently reported. Possible psychological effects might contribute to the emergence of such sensory perceptions, as some subjects also reported them to appear in a realistic mock scanner with no magnetic field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Friebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance (BMMR), Division Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wollrab
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thormann
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ricke
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grueschow
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biometrics and Biomedical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kropf
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fischbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance (BMMR), Division Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.|Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Speck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: 7T; MRI safety; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrahighfield MRI; vertigo