Today, while inspecting a lobby remodel of a hospital, I asked the foreman of the electrical contractor if he had worked on installing MRI(s).
Yes, he had installed the one in this hospital a few years ago.
Asked how the magnetic range ' foot print' or 'Sphere' is outlined. He indicated that the hospital had special " Vendors and State enginneers" for the start-up.
Then he went on to tell me that a workman was working in the room on small scaffold, as he pointed to one on site that was approximately 18" wide x 4' high x 4' long, saying that as the workman got closer to the MRI, the scaffold was suddenly pulled to the MRI and the platform pulled off of the scaffold into the MRI doing about $18,000 damage to the MRI.
He also told of a person to have a MRI that had a arm in a cast-like protector. thinking that the material was Plaster-of-Paris, they let him in the MRI room. The material was full of BB's and was ripped out of the material and the little pellets did major damage again to the MRI.
The foreman also said that the machine is not completely 'turned off ' because it costs about $4000 to re-start.
I worked in this hospital, for an electrical contractor, on a seven story addition in the 1987-88 period.
This MRI was added after that period of time and the foreman I was talking to has been in that hospital since the early 90's.
I have not reason to doubt his words.
My concern is that what happens to these machines when they are replaced with newer machines.
Are they re-used with-out having the manufacture's input ( safety-wise ) ?
In the previous thread along this subject, I believe what awwt had to say.
gwz2
[ October 30, 2003, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: gwz2 ]
Yes, he had installed the one in this hospital a few years ago.
Asked how the magnetic range ' foot print' or 'Sphere' is outlined. He indicated that the hospital had special " Vendors and State enginneers" for the start-up.
Then he went on to tell me that a workman was working in the room on small scaffold, as he pointed to one on site that was approximately 18" wide x 4' high x 4' long, saying that as the workman got closer to the MRI, the scaffold was suddenly pulled to the MRI and the platform pulled off of the scaffold into the MRI doing about $18,000 damage to the MRI.
He also told of a person to have a MRI that had a arm in a cast-like protector. thinking that the material was Plaster-of-Paris, they let him in the MRI room. The material was full of BB's and was ripped out of the material and the little pellets did major damage again to the MRI.
The foreman also said that the machine is not completely 'turned off ' because it costs about $4000 to re-start.
I worked in this hospital, for an electrical contractor, on a seven story addition in the 1987-88 period.
This MRI was added after that period of time and the foreman I was talking to has been in that hospital since the early 90's.
I have not reason to doubt his words.
My concern is that what happens to these machines when they are replaced with newer machines.
Are they re-used with-out having the manufacture's input ( safety-wise ) ?
In the previous thread along this subject, I believe what awwt had to say.
gwz2
[ October 30, 2003, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: gwz2 ]
