IMPORTANT: changes to MRI screening procedures

(Sorry for cross posting - MRI operators may get this twice) Hi all We would like to make you aware of recent updates we have made to the GE and Siemens MRI Safety and Consent forms, which can be found here https://www.ynic.york.ac.uk/forms. In particular, please draw your attention to the section on piercings and tattoos.  The piercings question now reads: "Are you currently wearing any jewellery? – e.g. piercings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, hair clips, rings" Please read the *full question *to participants, including the list of examples. This question should be answered /after/ all jewellery has been removed, which may be when the participant is in the control room.  In most cases, the answer to this question should be 'No'.  If jewellery cannot be removed, operators will require a Level 3 signature.  In your initial screening of your participants you should establish if any jewellery cannot be removed, and then notify support(a)ynic.york.ac.uk <mailto:support@ynic.york.ac.uk> if you will require a Level 3 signature (please provide details of the scan date/time). You will no longer be required to obtain a Level 3 signature for participants with tattoos.  Instead, you will direct the participant's attention to the tattoo warning sign located on the control room wall (near the other safety information signs), read the warning to the subject, and advise them to press the emergency buzzer if they feel any heating of the tattooed area during the scan session. Finally, both operators in charge of the scanning session should sign the boxes now marked as 'Operator A' and 'Operator B' - the order of the signatures is irrelevant, but it should only be signed by those acting as operators for the scan. We hope that these updates will improve your scanning process, whilst maintaining the safety of our participants. Please read through the full questionnaire to familiarise yourself with this updated version - *every question* on this form will require a yes or no answer now. -- André ************************************************************************ André Gouws PhD Manager of Imaging Services York Neuroimaging Centre University of York The Biocentre York Science Park Heslington YO10 5NY Tel: +44 (0) 1904 435327 Fax: +44 (0) 1904 435356