Just how strong is the magnetic field of our scanner?

The magnetic field of our MRI scanner is 1.5 Tesla. The earths magnetic field is .5 Gauss. 1 Tesla is equal to 10 000 Gauss. So, our MRI scanner has a magnetic field that is 30 000 times stronger then the magnetic field of the earth. It is 300 times stronger than a fridge magnet and 1.50 times stronger then a junkyard magnet.

One important this to know is that the magnet is ALWAYS on. It does not turn off before or after scanning. Therefore, we go through a very thorough screening process for anyone who needs to be in the scan room.