MRI Carts

MRI carts are the rolling workhorses of an imaging suite, and they are also one of the most common ways a ferromagnetic object ends up inside the magnet room. A standard hospital crash cart or linen cart is built around a steel frame, steel drawer slides, and steel casters. Roll one past the Zone IV threshold and the static magnetic field, which is always on, can pull it toward the bore with enough force to injure a patient and damage the scanner. MRI Med's non-magnetic carts let your team bring supplies, medications, gas cylinders, and coils to the point of care without that risk.

This category serves MRI technologists, radiology managers, anesthesia and rapid-response teams, and biomed staff who need to stock, move, and organize equipment in Zone III and Zone IV. MRI Med is owned and operated by people with more than 80 years of combined MRI experience, and that background shapes how these carts are specified: drawer layouts that make sense during a code, cylinder holders sized for aluminum tanks, and coil storage that protects expensive receive coils.

The projectile effect, sometimes called the missile effect, is the reason this category exists. Ferromagnetic objects experience a translational force that increases sharply as they approach the magnet, and a cart weighing over a hundred pounds can accelerate across the room in a fraction of a second. There is no reliable way for staff to hold on to something that heavy.

Under ASTM F2503, equipment is labeled MR Safe (non-conducting, non-metallic, non-magnetic, with no known hazards in any MR environment), MR Conditional (safe only under specified conditions such as a maximum field strength and spatial gradient), or MR Unsafe. Most general hospital carts have never been tested and should be treated as MR Unsafe. When you evaluate MRI Safe carts, look for MR Safe or MR Conditional labeling and confirm the stated conditions match your scanner, as part of your broader MRI safety program.

Start by identifying which zone the cart will live in. A cart that stays in Zone III has different requirements than one that enters Zone IV on every case. If it will cross into the magnet room, confirm the labeling and conditions against your scanner and document that in your equipment log.

Next, think about workflow. Emergency Carts should mirror the layout of crash carts elsewhere in your facility so a responding team does not have to hunt for supplies. Anesthesia Carts should match how your anesthesia department stocks drawers. Utility and Linen Carts benefit from open access and easy cleaning, while coil carts should be sized for the coils you own.

Non-magnetic carts are usually built from aluminum, plastics, or select stainless alloys, with non-ferrous casters and hardware. Ask about drawer locks and whether the cart supports tamper-evident seals if that is part of your pharmacy policy. Casters matter too: a cart that rolls smoothly over cable covers and thresholds is less likely to tip or spill.

Finally, plan for labeling. Even a cart cleared for Zone IV should carry a visible MR Safe or MR Conditional label so a new or floating staff member does not have to guess. MRI Med's MRI safety labels and signage pair well with this category.

MRI Med designs, manufactures, and distributes products specifically for the MRI imaging market from California. Instead of adapting general medical carts, the team specifies carts around how MRI suites actually run: where the cylinder sits during a scan, which drawer holds the airway kit, and how a coil comes off the table. Support staff speak the language of technologists and can help you compare options against your scanner's requirements. If you need help matching a cart to your facility, call or email the MRI Med team and a knowledgeable representative will assist.