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Emergency Procedures

Emergency Procedures (Click to Download PDF)
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* In case of emergency call: 911

  1. Electrical Power Off Buttons (EPO):
    • Control Room (near console)
    • Scan Suite Wall (near door)
    • Equipment room (near door)
  2. Fire Extinguishers:
    •  Control Room
    • Equipment Room
    • Hallway (3 in this location)
  3. Emergency Procedures:
    • Fire: If there is a fire, equipment failure that could cause injury such as sparking wires or signs of fire such as smoke, stop the scan, and turn off power to all electrical equipment by pressing the Electrical Power Off (EPO) button.
      1. Stop Scan
      2. Press EPO button
      3. Remove participant from area
      4. Alert 911
      5. Extinguish (only if safe to do so)
      6.  *** CLOSE SCANNER SUITE DOOR ***
    • Medical: In case of a medical emergency, stop the scan (if necessary) and assist the individual out of the scanner room.   Call 911 if the individual needs professional medical attention.
      1. Stop Scan
      2. Remove individual from scanner suite
      3. Alert 911
      4. Tend to the individual’s needs
      5.  *** CLOSE SCANNER SUITE DOOR ***
    • Quench: If an individual is restrained or pinned to the magnet by a ferrous object, you must assess if the situation is life threatening.  If yes, initiate an emergency rundown to quench the magnet.
      • A quench involves the rapid release of cryogens (Helium) and results in the loss or significant decrease of the magnetic field.  A quench should only be performed by authorized personnel with proper training and in a dire emergency that involves serious personal injury. Sudden loss of the magnetic field during a quench could damage the magnet or components of the system. There is a considerable cost related to quenching the magnet and re-implementing the magnetic field. The strong magnetic field will dissipate in about 30 seconds, releasing the individual.
      • Note: In extraordinary circumstances resulting in an uncontrolled quench, if the helium releases into the room rather than through the proper venting system, the oxygen level in the scan room may significantly decrease, possibly making breathing difficult.
        1. Press quench button (control room, scan suite wall)
        2. Evacuate scanner room immediately
        3. Alert 911
        4. Tend to individual’s needs
        5.  *** CLOSE SCANNER SUITE DOOR ***
  4. Equipment Problems:
    • No Chirping:
      1. Call Larry White, or
      2. Call Ross Mair, or
      3. Call Siemens
      4. *** DO NOT SCAN ***
    • Humidity Alarm:
      • Let it go: FMO will come and check it out
      • *** OK to Scan ***
    • Scanner Technical Issues:
      • Most issues can be cleared up by rebooting (must restart system, not just log out of software)
        1. Call Larry White, or
        2. Call Ross Mair, or
        3. Call Siemens

Contact Numbers:

Larry White617-495-4706 (office)
617-913-5207 (cell)
Ross Mair617-496-2903 (office)
617-504-4654 (cell)
Siemens Uptime800-888-7436 (help desk)