Interventional MR imaging at 1.5 T: quantification of sound exposure.

Moelker, Adriaan; Maas, Ronald A J J; Lethimonnier, Franck; Pattynama, Peter M T · Radiology · 2002

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Abstract

Sound pressure levels (SPLs) during interventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may create an occupational hazard for the interventional radiologist (ie, the potential risk of hearing impairment). Therefore, A-weighted and linear continuous-equivalent SPLs were measured at the entrance of a 1.5-T MR imager during cardiovascular and real-time pulse sequences. The SPLs ranged from 81.5 to 99.3 dB (A-weighted scale), and frequencies were from 1 to 3 kHz. SPLs for the interventional radiologist exceeded a safe SPL of 80 dB (A-weighted scale) for all sequences; therefore, hearing protection is recommended.

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