What should be done with drug patches in the area of a transmit/receive coil before an MRI scan?

The appropriate action regarding drug patches before an MRI scan is to remove them. Drug patches typically contain medications that are delivered through the skin, and many are made with materials that can be affected by the strong magnetic fields present in an MRI environment. These materials may not only interfere with the quality of the MRI images but also pose a safety risk to the patient.

In an MRI scanner, the magnetic field can cause the metallic components in some patches to heat up or potentially lead to burns on the skin. Additionally, the presence of the patch can alter the desired imaging characteristics, leading to artifacts or distortion in the images. Therefore, for both patient safety and optimal imaging quality, removing the drug patches prior to entering the MRI room is the necessary procedure.