Foley temps wires and MRI's?

[RunninOnCoffee]

Just out of curiosity, do you leave the foley with temp probes in, clip the wires, or remove them all together when you take your patients down for MRI's? I thought I had scanned patients with them in previously, but last week I took one down and the tech had me remove the foley. Several other nurses said other techs have just had them clip the wire. The reasoning that she gave to remove the foley made sense, I had just never come across this before.

Thanks :)

We leave 'em in and leave 'em intact... all the time. I haven't looked that closely but I don't think they're "MRI safe", just that the tiny copper wire is nonferromagnetic to begin with and so small that it doesn't matter.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Ours are left in a s well, they are MRI safe

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Ours are left in as well and are MRI safe.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

We leave them in. We were told they're MRI safe so LPG as the connector isn't touching the skin, so if not I'm use we tape then to the foley tubing away from the skin.

[MunoRN, RN]

The foley temp probes that we use are also 'MRI safe', but they're also made so that you can pull out the probe while leaving the foley in, that's because the conditions that have to meet for it to be MRI safe aren't all that simple:

(1) The Foley catheter with temperature sensor should not be connected to the temperature monitoring equipment during the MRI procedure.

(2) If the Foley catheter with temperature sensor has a removable catheter connector cable, it should be disconnected prior to the MRI procedure.

(3) Remove all electrically conductive material from the bore of the MR system that is not required for the procedure (i.e., unused surface coils, cables, etc.).

(4) Keep electrically conductive material that must remain in the bore of the MR system from directly contacting the patient by placing thermal and/or electrical insulation (including air) between the conductive material and the patient.

(5) Position the Foley catheter with a temperature sensor in a straight configuration down the center of the patient table to prevent cross points and conductive coils or loops.

(6) The wire and connector of the Foley catheter with temperature sensor should not be in contact with the patient during the MRI procedure. Position the device, accordingly.

(7) MR imaging should be performed using an MR system with static magnetic strength of 1.5-Tesla or 3-Tesla, ONLY.

(8) At 1.5-Tesla, the MR system whole body averaged SAR should not exceed 3.5- W/kg for 15-min. of scanning.

(9) At 3-Tesla, the MR system reported whole body averaged SAR should not exceed 3-W/kg for 15-min of scanning.

And that's in addition to the warning that it can cause severe burns inside the patient's member if not positioned just right. It's worth repeating; severe burns inside your patient's member.