Comments concerning possible MRI restrictions due to implementation of a EU Directive

A European directive regulating the maximum permissible exposure of workers to electromagnetic fields is due to be implemented in Dutch legislation in April 2008. Warnings from the medical sector in particular suggest that the directive may lead to problems in terms of MRI applications, because exposure of medical staff working with MRI equipment might exceed the limits. This would mean that various procedures will no longer be possible in practice.

That would be undesirable, because the use of MRI has many advantages for patients. On the other hand, of course, the health of workers also need to be protected. In this report therefore the Health Council of the Netherlands identifies the problems and makes recommendations on how to deal with them. Two types of electromagnetic fields present near MRI equipment are discussed: low-frequency switching gradient fields and static magnetic fields.