The Radiography Department within the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, hosted the 2nd transnational ECSO-MRI project meeting. The meeting was spread over two days on 19 and 20 September 2023 at the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The University of Malta, represented by the Department of Radiography is a partner of the project - European Curriculum for Safety Officers in MRI (ECSO-MRI). The project is funded by the ERASMUS+ Programme Key Action 2: Partnerships for Cooperation as per grant agreement number 2022-1-BE02 KA220-HED-000085873.
The consortium is made up of the following 7 member institutions:
- Odisee University of Applied Sciences (Belgium), who are leading the project.
- University of Malta (Malta).
- University College Dublin (Ireland).
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences (Finland).
- Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland).
- Inholland University of Applied Sciences (Netherland).
- European Federation of Radiography Societies (EFRS).
Two representatives from each of the member institutions attended the Malta meeting. The University of Malta team is made up of: Prof. Francis Zarb (Team coordinator), Dr Jonathan Portelli (Head of Department of Radiography), Dr Susan Mercieca (Lecturer, Radiography Department) and Ms Gail Bezzina (project RSO). The project kicked off in April 2023 at the 1st transnational project meeting hosted by Inholland University in the Netherlands.
The presence of a strong magnetic field in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) poses a risk for both the radiographer and the patient. Several safety measures are mandatory to ensure a safe MRI examination, which vary depending on the type and characteristics of the MRI scanner. Maintaining safety in MRI has become a complex task, leading the European Federation of Radiological Societies (EFRS) to suggest a new radiographer role - the magnetic resonance safety officer (MRSO).
The objective of the ECSO-MRI project is to design and implement a European curriculum for safety officers in MRI. The curriculum will have a modular structure and includes modules for basic MRI safety education and training (10 ECTS) at EQF level 6 and advanced modules for safety officer education and training (20 ECTS) at EQF level 7. The outcomes of the project will be a curriculum, course material and a teaching strategy within a blended learning environment.
