BIC offers training to support independent and /or assisted research activities on using our imaging systemsresources, and for new DMS / UTHA clinical staff that will be working in the facility.UT Austin Imaging Center in HDB and for UT / DMS support staff and first responders that assist with Center operations.
Note that the preclinical imaging systems of the BIC are located within the ARC suite in HDB. Appropriate facility training will also be required.
Please direct all training questions to: bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu
Note: Training must be requested using the procedures below. Training requests sent through the FBS system are not checked.
Training Procedures
MRI User Training
Follow the links below to request training as a Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2 MRI User.
MRI User Training Policy and Rationale
(Siemens 3T Prisma & 3T Vida, and Bruker 7T BioSpec systems)
BIC offers 3 levels of user-training
based on the guidelines set forth by the American College of Radiology (ACR)
:
Level 0 (L0) status grants
a researcher observer status for an MRI study
and is also required for UT / DMS / UTHA support staff (e.g. ITS, Zone Shop, Facilities). L0 trained individuals may not enter the MRI scanner room and cannot assume any responsibilities associated with
an MRI study.
Level 1 (L1)
certification is required in order for an individual
to work safely around an MRI system and
observe and/or assist with an MRI study.
L1 training is
required for all staff that provide clinical care or emergency medical / first responder support to the Center’s operations in NHB or HDB
Level 2 (L2)
All human MRI studies performed at BIC require the presence of an L2 user assisted by an L1 user or another L2 user (2-person rule).
Level 0 Training Instructions page
Level 1 Certification
This L1 course extends the traineescertification is required in order for an individual to operate the scanner for research purposes. Two properly certified individuals must be present in order to run an MRI study: two L2s or one L2 + one L1.
Level 0 Status (Siemens 3T Prisma and 3T Vida only)
The L0 course reviews essential MRI safety guidelines, sufficient to ensure safe entry into the MRI control and equipment rooms. Level 0 users MAY NOT enter the MRI Scanner Room (Zone 4) under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES unless accompanied by a member of BIC staff or a certified MRI Technologist.
Level 0 researchers MAY NOT assume any L1 or L2 responsibilities (such as safety screening of participants) or enter any zone besides the MRI Control Room (Zone 3); card access to BIC facilities will not be granted. A maximum of two (2) L0 users may be present for participant research studies – Level 2 users overseeing the study are responsible for the conduct and safety of the L0 users.
Level 1 Certification
The L1 course provides knowledge of basic MRI safety principles and procedures,
BIC resources, and provides hands-on training with key MRI scanner safety features in case of
an emergency. All individuals providing clinical care or emergency medical support to the Center’s operations must be L1 trained.
A Level 1
researcher satisfies the 2-person requirement (L2 + L1) for human research studies,
has Zone 1 and Zone 2
access privileges, and may
schedule in FBS. Only research users involved in
projects
> 4 months
will be considered for Level 1 certification
. For rotations
/ class
visits, Level 0 – MRI Observer status is more appropriate.
Note that Level 1 certification
2) Download the Level 1 MRI User Training Packet from the BIC Wiki and complete packet checkbox steps 1-5 under the guidance of your PI / supervisor.
3) For research users with Human participants:
a) Documentation of the L1 trainee’s CITI Human Subjects training and IRB status must be submitted as part of the Level 1 MRI User Training Packet. (Instructions here)
b) Watch the online UTLearn class BIC-MRI:102 - MRI Safety Screening Training to learn how to proctor the completion of the MRI Safety Screening form for Research Participants
4) For research users performing Preclinical research:
a) If not completed as part of L0 training, documentation of the L1 trainee’s ARC training and IACUC status must be submitted to BIC as part of the Level 1 MRI User Training Packet.
5) Complete your own MRI Safety Screening form for Personnel, if not submitted as part of L0 training. A member of BIC staff will review and email back confirmation if you screen safe to enter MRI Zone 3.
Re-submit this if your details have changed, or it has been more than 2 years since last submission.
6) Attach pdf copies of any required documents to the Level 1 MRI User Training Packet. Rename the completed Training Packet as your FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_L1.pdf
7) Submit your L1 MRI User Training Packet to: bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu to request a facility orientation and in-person L1 safety training for the appropriate site / system: (the in-person training is step 6 on the training packet)
BIC-MRI: 103A – NHB orientation / Siemens Skyra L1 training
BIC-MRI: 103B – HDB orientation / Siemens Vida L1 training
L1 training for the 7T Bruker system will be arranged ad-hoc.
BIC will contact you to arrange the date / time of your orientation and training.
Upon successful completion of your L1 training:
9) Submit the BACS access request form for BIC facilities:
Level 1 users will be granted in-hours access to BIC facilities but will not have access to the MRI scanner room(s).
Out of hours access to the appropriate building can also be requested:
NHB: contact the building Facility Manager: Cory Konieczny
HDB: submit a request using the following form: HDB BACS Request.
10) Submit the FBS access request form to obtain scheduling privileges for BIC resources.
The topics you need to understand in order to be L1 certified can be found in the L1 Training Checklist.
is system-specific, due to subtle differences between the Siemens Prisma and Vida and the layout of the NHB and HDB sites.
There is a one-time fee of $100 for new L1 research trainees.
L1 certification on one system will confer Level 0 status on the other, but the L0 constraints still apply.
Level 1 certification on a second system can be attained by completing a site walkthrough with BIC staff, for which there is no additional fee. MRI safety screening forms will need to be re-submitted to BIC for individuals seeking training on an additional system.
Level 2 Certification
The L2 course includes a
detailed lecture on
MRI principles
and advanced
safety considerations, as well as scanner operator training. Prior experience as a Level 1 user is
required.
Note that the
Siemens and
Bruker systems
have different hardware and software environments
, therefore specific training on
each system is
Level 2 certification requires completion of the following: Obtain Level 1 certification
(including UTLearn class BIC-MRI:102 - MRI Safety Screening Training if L1 certification was obtained before Spring 2022)
and participate in 5 scanning sessions as an L1 first.
Complete 5 hands-on apprenticeship sessions (operating the scanner) under the supervision of a qualified Level 2 mentor. These sessions can be performed on a phantom, but a minimum of 1 must be performed on a training participant to be qualified to run a human scan.
Submit the L2 Certification form to bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu asking to schedule the L2 practical exam on the appropriate MRI scanner (Skyra or Vida).
Successfully passing the L2 practical exam will certify that the user is permitted to operate the scanner and run MRI studies. Access to the MRI scanner room will be granted, and morphometric (fingerprint) IDs will be uploaded to the entry system.
Submit the FBS access request form to obtain scheduling privileges for BIC resources.
PET/CT User Training
Training in how to operate our Siemens Inveon preclinical PET/CT system is available on-request. Please emailrequired. The Siemens Prisma and Vida systems have the same software and similar hardware environments.
There is a one-time fee of $500 for L2 certification.
L2 certification on a second system can be attained by completing a site walkthrough with BIC staff, for which there is no additional fee. MRI safety screening forms will need to be re-submitted to BIC for individuals seeking training on an additional system.
PET/CT User Training
Siemens Inveon preclinical system: Please email training inquiries to bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu
Note that Radiation Safety training for Radioactive Materials (RAM) and/or X-ray devices is a
prerequisite for scanner training and is available through UT Austin Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).
GE Discovery human system: Please contact the BIC Director if you are interested in performing human CT or PET studies. Human PET/CT studies
require the assistance of a PET/CT Technologist.
Optical Imaging User Training
Xenogen IVIS optical imaging system
: Please email training inquiries to bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu
X-ray Irradiator User Training
MultiRad 350 X-ray irradiator: Please email training inquiries for operation of the X-ray irradiator located in HDB to bic-training@utlists.utexas.edu
Facility Access
BIC policy and procedures regarding access to
our Facilities in NHB or HDB
*HDB building entrance access is granted not by BIC but by: HDB BACS Request.
can be found on the Policies and Procedures page of our Wiki.
Scheduling Scanner / Resource Time
Resource Scheduling policy and the procedure to gain access to FBS
, our online resource scheduling system
, can be found
To gain access to FBS independent of User Training, please contact BIC support.
Additional Information
on the Policies and Procedures page of our Wiki.