MRI and CT are indispensable imaging modalities for the evaluation of patients with neurologic disease, and each is particularly well suited to address specific clinical questions. Although both of these imaging modalities have excellent safety profiles in clinical use as a result of concerted and dedicated efforts, each has potential physical and procedural risks that the practitioner should be aware of, which are described in this article.
Recent advancements have been made in understanding and reducing safety risks with MR and CT. The magnetic fields in MRI create risks for dangerous projectile accidents, radiofrequency burns, and deleterious interactions with implanted devices, and serious patient injuries and deaths have occurred. Ionizing radiation in CT may be associated with shorter-term deterministic effects on biological tissues at extremely high doses and longer-term stochastic effects related to mutagenesis and carcinogenesis at low doses. The cancer risk of radiation exposure in diagnostic CT is considered extremely low, and the benefit of an appropriately indicated CT examination far outweighs the potential risk. Continuing major efforts are centered on improving image quality and the diagnostic power of CT while concurrently keeping radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable.
An understanding of these MRI and CT safety issues that are central to contemporary radiology practice is essential for the safe and effective treatment of patients with neurologic disease.
