Guidelines for Documentation and Consent for Nonclinical, Nonresearch MRI in Human Subjects

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of human subjects is widely performed for clinical and research purposes. Clinical MRI requires a physician order, while research MRI typically requires an approved protocol from a local Institutional Review Board, as well as informed consent. However, there are several circumstances in which it is appropriate to perform MRI in human subjects, that constitute neither clinical nor research activities. Examples include clinical protocol development, training and teaching, and quality assurance testing. We refer to such activities as nonclinical, nonresearch MRI. The purpose of this document is to provide principles and guidelines for appropriate and safe use of MRI in human subjects for nonclinical, nonresearch purposes.