Our story

As a former MRI and CT Superintendent Radiographer, Barbara founded the MRI Safety Matters® and CT/MRI Training Matters organisations to create training events for healthcare professionals. These events provide opportunities to learn from leading experts and foster collaboration between staff and industry partners alike. The UK MRI Safety Facebook Group , The UK and European MRSO Group | Facebook and the CT Facebook Group were set up for the same reason: to realise the benefits from expanding networks of like-minded professionals.

MRI Safety Matters® is part of a group of professional organisations which created a range of not-for-profit online MRI safety courses for the UK. Barbara led on the development of an anaesthetic MRI safety pathway in the pilot module dealing with safety during MRI anaesthetic sessions. All modules can be found at elfh - MRI Safety.

In 2017, MRI Safety Matters® hosted The MRI Safety Update Day with Dr Frank G. Shellock, Professor Martin Graves and other outstanding speakers. After hosting the Spend the day with Dr Kanal event in 2018, MRI Safety Matters® was invited to bring Dr Kanal’s internationally respected MR Medical Director and MR Safety Officer (MRMD/MRSO) course to London. Following the success of three courses, Kanal’s 4th European MRMD/MRSO course returns to London in June 2024 and is eagerly anticipated.

MRI Safety Matters® also hosted Dr Charbel Saade’s excellent CT Angiography course in Edinburgh in 2019.

The Hybrid MRI Safety Update and Innovations Day was held in Edinburgh in September 2022 and 2023, welcoming back Dr Shellock and Professor Graves and many other excellent presenters. In 2023 Mr Tobias Gilk was the keynote speaker. Following demand, the next hybrid event will be held in London on Saturday 9th of November, 2024 in the iconic Royal College of Physicians London venue.

Other projects

Infection Control

During the pandemic Barbara was instrumental in developing infection control recommendations for MRI units and in finding and developing MR Safe patient facemasks.

Autism-friendly MRI

Barbara is a visiting lecturer and part of a collaborative project led by Dr Christina Malamateniou at City, University of London, aiming to improve the MRI scanning service for autistic individuals.

Standardising Testing of Safety Knowledge

Having encouraged the American Board of MR Safety (ABMRS) to develop and administer a UK/European version of their international MRI safety exams, this enabled standardised testing of MRI safety knowledge in the UK for the first time. MRI Safety Matters hosted these exams, leading to the creation of two cohorts of MRI Safety credentialed professionals.

The ABMRS have begun to administer their exams in an electronic format. The exams will now become available in testing centres allowing examinees to sit them at a time and place of their choosing.

Harmonisation of Incident Reporting

There are many reasons why the number and type of MRI incidents occurring is unknown and why adverse MRI safety events happen. To enable more accurate statistics and consequent solutions, Barbara is proposing a universal template for reporting MRI safety incidents.

For more information on this project please email mrisafetymatters@btinternet.com

Barbara Nugent

BSc (Hons), PgC (MRI), DCR(R), (MRSC™) MIPEM

MRI Safety Matters® Training and Events Manager

Visiting Lecturer

Author of the MRI Practitioner’s Handbook