Patient Gowns for MRI: Specifying Metal-Free Gowns With Your Imaging Team

Gowns for MRI should be specified with no metal anywhere: no metal press studs, zips, hooks or metallic thread, and no trims or prints that might contain metal. The safest way to buy them is to write the metal-free requirement into the specification, give MRI gowns a distinct colour so they never mix with ordinary gowns, and have your imaging team confirm the final design against its own MRI safety policy before anything goes into use.

This article explains why gowns matter in the MRI suite, what to specify and how procurement, linen and imaging teams can work together. It is not clinical guidance: decisions about what patients wear in the scanner belong to your MRI safety lead and imaging team.

Why patients change into gowns for MRI

MRI scanners use a very strong magnetic field and radiofrequency energy. Metal objects can be pulled towards the magnet, and some conductive materials can heat up during a scan. That is why patients are screened and asked to remove jewellery, watches, hairpins and clothing with metal parts before entering the scanner room.

Everyday clothing is a hidden risk. Zips, hooks, studs and underwire are easy to spot, but some sportswear and other fabrics contain metallic fibres woven in for odour control or other reasons, and these are not always obvious or shown on the label. Published radiology case reports and reviews have described burns linked to clothing containing metallic fibres and have recommended that patients change into clothing supplied by the facility before scanning. Many imaging departments therefore ask all MRI patients to change into a gown, whatever they arrive in.

That makes the gown itself part of the safety process. It needs to be something the imaging team can trust without checking each one.

What "metal-free" should mean in your specification

Write the requirement out in full. "MRI gown" on a purchase order is not enough for a supplier to work from. List each component.

Component	What to specify	Why it matters
Fastenings	Fabric ties only, or non-metal fastenings approved by imaging	Standard press studs and zips often contain metal
Thread	Standard non-metallic sewing thread	Metallic or decorative threads may be conductive
Fabric	Cotton or poly-cotton with no metallic fibres or conductive finishes	Hidden metallic fibres are the concern with everyday clothing
Labels	Woven or printed labels with no metal components	Some labels and tags use metal clips or foils
Marking and logos	Embroidery or printing without metallic thread, foil or reflective inks	Decorative finishes may contain metal
Trims	No metal eyelets, rivets, buckles or tag fasteners	Small parts are easy to overlook

Ask your supplier to confirm in writing that the gown is made to this specification, and keep that record with the approved sample. Then hand the sample to your imaging team for their review.

Fastenings: ties are the simple answer

Most metal-free MRI gowns use fabric ties. They have no hard parts, are easy to check by eye and are familiar to patients and staff. The drawbacks are that ties can tangle in the laundry and patients sometimes need help to tie them at the back.

You can reduce those drawbacks by:

• choosing a wrap-around style that ties at the side or front, so patients can fasten it themselves;
• placing ties at the neck, mid-back and waist so the back stays closed;
• specifying ties long enough to knot securely without being so long they drag.

If you want a non-metal alternative to ties, involve your imaging team before you specify it. They decide what is acceptable in their environment.

Keep MRI gowns separate from ordinary gowns

The biggest practical risk is mix-up. If an MRI gown and an ordinary gown with metal press studs look the same, sooner or later the wrong one will reach the scanner room. Design the system so that cannot easily happen.

Use a distinct colour

Give MRI gowns a colour used nowhere else in the hospital. Staff can then see at a glance that a patient is wearing the right gown, and laundry staff can sort them easily. Record the colour in your specification so reorders match. Our article on patient gown colours by department covers colour coding more generally.

Mark them clearly

Add a clear, non-metallic mark such as "MRI" or the imaging department's name, along with the hospital name for laundry identification. Use standard embroidery thread or printing without metallic inks.

Return them to imaging

Agree with the laundry how MRI gowns are sorted and returned. They should come back to the imaging department, not go out to the wards. Our article on marking patient gowns for laundry explains marking approaches that help with this.

Working with your imaging team

Procurement and linen managers should not decide alone what is acceptable in the MRI environment. A simple sequence keeps everyone involved.

1. Ask the imaging team for their requirements. They may already have a written policy covering patient clothing.
2. Draft the specification using the component list above, and share it with them.
3. Request a sample from your supplier with written confirmation of the materials and fastenings used.
4. Pass the sample to imaging for review against their MRI safety policy. They decide whether and how to test it.
5. Wash-test the sample through your normal laundry process and return it to imaging for a second look, since laundering should not introduce anything new, but it is worth checking.
6. Record the approved specification so every reorder is identical.
7. Review regularly. If the supplier, fabric or design changes, repeat the approval.

Comfort and dignity in the scanner

MRI scans can be long, the scanner can feel enclosed and the room is often cool. A good gown helps patients stay still and relaxed.

• Coverage. A wrap-around style or a deep back overlap keeps patients covered on the table and walking to and from the changing area.
• Warmth. Long sleeves or a second gown worn as a robe can help in cool rooms; your imaging team should confirm any extra layers.
• Fit. Stock larger sizes so every patient can close the gown properly. Bigger patients should not be left with a gown that does not fasten.
• Modest options. Longer lengths and long sleeves suit patients who prefer more coverage. For other imaging gowns and features, see patient gowns for X-ray and imaging.

A short checklist

• Metal-free requirement written out by component
• Fabric ties or imaging-approved non-metal fastenings
• No metallic threads, inks, foils or trims
• Distinct MRI-only colour and clear marking
• Laundry routine that returns gowns to imaging
• Sample approved by the imaging team before bulk
• Approved specification kept on record

Ordering

MISHAREN can specify reusable patient gowns without metal fastenings on request, in cotton or poly-cotton, in a colour reserved for imaging and with marking for laundry identification. The imaging team confirms suitability against its own MRI policy; we provide the sample and material details for that review.

See the options on the patient gowns page, or send your imaging department's requirements through our contact page for a quotation.