title: Subjective perception of safety in healthy individuals working with 7 T MRI scanners: a retrospective multicenter survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively assess perception of safety of healthy individuals working with human 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 66 healthy individuals with a mean age of 31 ± 7 years participated in this retrospective multicentre survey study. Nonparametric correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relation between self-reported perception of safety and prevalence of sensory effects while working with 7 T MRI scanners for an average 47 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that 98.5 % of the study participants had a neutral or positive feeling about safety aspects at 7 T MRI scanners. 45.5 % reported that they feel very safe and none of the participants stated that they feel moderately or very unsafe while working with 7 T MRI scanners. Perception of safety was not affected by the number of hours per week spent in the vicinity of the 7 T MRI scanner or the duration of experience with 7 T MRI. More than 50 % of individuals experienced vertigo and metallic taste while working with 7 T MRI scanners. However, participants' perceptions of safety were not affected by the prevalence of MR-related symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall data indicated an average perception of a moderately safe work environment. To our knowledge, this study delineates the first attempt to assess the subjective safety perception among 7 T MRI workers and suggests further investigations are indicated.
authors: Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, H65-ZENIT, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Street 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany. Mahsa.Fatahi@ovgu.de.
authors: Mahsa
authors: M
authors: Fatahi
authors: Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.|Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory, Magdeburg, Germany.|Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Liliana Ramona
authors: LR
authors: Demenescu
authors: Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, H65-ZENIT, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Street 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.|Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.|German Center for Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.|Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Speck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Occupational exposure; Perception; Safety; Ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging