MRI Compatibility Explained: Safe Materials, Testing, and Standards

1. What’s an MRI?
2. What are the MRI Safety Standards?
3. How are MRI Safety Standard Tests conducted?
4. Are Batteries MRI Safe?
5. Final Thoughts

What’s an MRI?

MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It’s a medical tool that uses strong magnets, radio waves, and a computer to see inside the human body, especially soft tissue areas like the brain and muscles. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, an MRI doesn’t use radiation. While this means it’s safer than x-rays and CT scans because it avoids radiation exposure, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its risks.

What are the MRI Safety Standards?

Since MRIs use strong magnets, objects brought into the MRI suites need to be carefully labeled for safety. These labels follow strict ASTM and FDA guidelines, and they separate equipment into three categories:

• MRI Safe: These devices pose no known hazards in MRI suites because they contain no metal or conductive parts at all. The FDA and ASTM note that MR Safe devices are made of nonmetallic, nonconductive, nonmagnetic materials.
  • Examples: plastics, wood, glass, most ceramics and composites, and non-metallic fabrics

• MRI Conditional: These devices are safe only under specified conditions, such as a specific maximum field strength, absorption rate, or other parameters. They can contain metal or electronics, but thorough testing is needed, and the label must specify the allowable conditions.
  • Examples: titanium, aluminum, brass, copper, gold, or certain stainless steels

• MRI Unsafe: These devices are known hazards and should never enter the MRI room at all. They contain ferromagnetic metals and alloys that react abruptly to the magnetic field.
  • Examples: iron, nickel or cobalt, steel, oxygen tanks, and jewelry

How are MRI Safety Standard Tests conducted?

The FDA explicitly recommends following the ASTM F2503 labeling standard. But how does F2503 determine each categorization? The equipment needs to pass several tests, among them are:

• ASTM F2052: Measures magnetically induced displacement force
  • Determines how much the MRI can pull the object with its magnet.
• ASTM F2119: Evaluate MR image artifacts
  • Determines if the object distorts or interferes with the MRI image. (If the object creates blur spots, shadows or other artifacts)
• ASTM F2182: Measures RF-induced heating
  • Determines how much the object heats up due to the MRI radio waves.
• ASTM F2213: Measures magnetically induced torque
  • Determines if an object experiences twist or torque under the influence of the magnetic field.

Are Batteries MRI Safe?

The magnetic field on MRIs is so strong that even batteries enclosed inside medical equipment don’t escape the requirement for labeling. Generally, batteries contain nickel, and steel cases make them MRI Unsafe. But there’s MRI conditional and MRI safe batteries. They’re usually lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries housed in aluminum or polymer casings. Aluminum and most lithium compounds are nonmagnetic, so the MRI magnet won’t firmly pull the battery pack.

Common equipment found on MRI Suites

Mayo Stands

Anesthesia Machines 

Patient Monitors 

Final Thoughts

MRI compatibility involves more than just bringing equipment into the suite. It is about safety, preserving image quality, and meeting rigorous compliance standards. Choosing MRI compatible solutions from a trusted refurbishment partner like Soma means you receive:

• Equipment tested to ASTM and IEC standards.
• Solutions that maintain clear, undistorted MRI images while keeping patients and staff safe from magnetic hazards.
• Confidence that every component, whether it is an anesthesia machine, patient monitor, or accessory, has been evaluated for both performance and safety in high field MRI environments.