ABMRS
Certification Types
To assist
in your planning as to which examination may be most appropriate for you, the
following summary is provided:
Magnetic
Resonance Medical Director (MRMD):
At least in the United States (and under certain conditions internationally as
well), the Magnetic Resonance Medical Director/Magnetic Resonance Physician
(MRMD) (among other parties) is legally liable for safety in the MRI
environment and the safe execution of the magnetic resonance examination,
whether they are clinical and/or research in nature. To this end, the
MRMD examination is designed for the radiologist/physician who
is legally licensed to practice in that State who will be undertaking the
liability and responsibility for site/study safety. The MRMD/MR Physician
will establish and/or be responsible for the establishment of the MR safety
policies and guidelines of the site and will oversee all decisions regarding MR
site access and site access restriction decisions.
Upon
satisfactory completion of this examination, the examinee will become a
diplomat of the ABMRS and be certified to use the title Magnetic Resonance
Medical Director (MRMD)/Magnetic Resonance Physician, Magnetic Resonance Safety
Certified (MRSC™).
Magnetic
Resonance Safety Officer (MRSO):
The MRSO will advise the MRMD if/as needed, and is charged with executing the
MR safety practices as defined/ordered for the site by the MRMD/MR
Physician. For example, the MRSO might advise on such issues as
decreasing SAR to stay within some MR conditional guidelines, or execute
decisions (as per the MRMD policy/guidance of the site) as to approval or
denial of scanning for specific implants in specific clinical situations/questions,
etc. (e.g., they might approve a specific implant in situation X where the
requested MR study will not include the device/implant in the volume that will
be undergoing significant RF irradiation but might deny the study in other
situations where the same make/model implant is in the field of view to be
studied, for example.)
Upon
satisfactory completion of this examination, the examinee will become a
diplomat of the ABMRS and be certified to use the title Magnetic Resonance
Safety Officer (MRSO), Magnetic Resonance Safety Certified (MRSC™).
Magnetic
Resonance Safety Expert (MRSE):
The anticipated role of the MRSE is to serve as a resource for the MRMD and/or
MRSO, such as for situations where the MRMD and/or MRSO need assistance
with or are otherwise unable to answer, an MR safety question or situation.
The MRSE would be expected to possess a significantly greater depth,
breadth, and level of understanding of the physics aspects underlying the
various MR safety issues, and would be expected to be able to provide advanced
guidance, information, calculations and quantification information, etc.
regarding all matters pertaining to MR safety. (Please note, however,
that issues relating to the medical safety
considerations of prescription medications, contrast agents,
sedation/anesthesia, recovery, monitoring, and medical procedures or
interventions are not under the purview of the MRSE but rather of the MRMD.)
The MRSE position is envisioned to be entirely advisory in nature, as
opposed to the case of the MRMD and MRSO where there are anticipated
significant legal responsibilities and liabilities surrounding how specific MR
safety practices are executed. Due to the depth and breadth of domain
expertise required for this position, it is anticipated that the MRSE will be a
relatively scarce resource throughout the MR community, and will frequently not
be found on site.
Upon
satisfactory completion of this examination, the examinee will become a
diplomat of the ABMRS and be certified to use the title Magnetic Resonance Safety
Expert (MRSE), Magnetic Resonance Safety Certified (MRSC™).