[Safe use of magnetic resonance imaging: practical recommendations for personnel]

MRI is a powerful diagnostic imaging tool and its use has increased significantly in hospitals all over the world. Due to the technical particularities of MRI, all staff members dealing with the scanner need to have adequate knowledge of how it works and of aspects related to safety. The European parliament and council's directive on minimum health and safety requirements for workers dealing with electromagnetic fields (EMF) 2004/40/CE represents a threat to the clinical development and healthcare use of MRI. The efforts of the Alliance for MRI led to a postponement of the European parliament's decision, first until April 2012 and finally until October 2013. The purpose of this article is to define and propose a set of practical rules to ensure the protection of workers involved with MRI scanners. It also aims to define our position with respect to UE directive (2004/40/CE).