A study of bacterial cultures obtained from MR imaging equipment

All healthcare team members are responsible for delivering quality patient care and decreasing incidence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). This study sought to determine whether MR imaging equipment harbored pathogens that could lead to HAIs. Surface surveillance bacterial cultures were obtained from 8 MR units in Nebraska hospitals. Cultures were collected after completion of patient care each day from the unit bore, coil, table surface, and control panel. None of the MR cultures recovered clinically significant isolates that are established pathogens leading to HAIs. Standard disinfection protocols preliminarily appear to inhibit the colonization of microorganisms that lead to HAIs.