MRI technologist from Phoebe Radiologists receives special safety certification

ALBANY — Officials at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital said patients who get a magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scan under the direction of Phoebe Radiologists are overseen by a leading expert on MRI safety, thanks to Senior MRI Technologist Deborah Lloyd.

Lloyd recently became the 584th person in the world to be certified as a magnetic resonance safety officer by the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety. She is one of only a handful of Georgians to earn the certification, officials at Phoebe said.

“It took a year of study and work to earn the certification,” Lloyd said. “That work included several intensive conferences, including one led by Dr. Emanuel Kanal, who founded the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety.”

Following that conference, Lloyd passed a three-hour exam to become certified. The certification helps the entire Phoebe MRI team keep up with an ever-changing field, officials at Phoebe said.

“All our technologists are dedicated to patient safety, and this certification has provided new standards for our team to ensure our patients are getting the best care while maintaining a safe environment,” Lloyd said.

Phoebe officials said the magnetic nature of an MRI can mean that a foreign object in a patient’s body can put him or her at risk during an MRI scan, so the proper expertise helps make sure scans on patients are conducted safely.

“If we come across any sort of implant, we have to research it and make sure we understand the manufacturer’s guidelines on it,” Lloyd said. “We have to know exactly where it is in the body and how long it’s been there, so that we can adjust our parameters to meet those guidelines.

“We’re fortunate at Phoebe to have multiple machines to meet most patients’ needs.”