What is a common cause of droplet contamination in an MRI environment?

In the context of an MRI environment, droplet contamination primarily occurs through actions that expel respiratory droplets from a person. Coughing is a typical respiratory action that releases droplets containing saliva and other respiratory secretions into the air, which can then land on surfaces or be inhaled by others nearby. This is particularly relevant in medical settings, where maintaining a sterile and safe environment is crucial to prevent infection transmission.

While routine breathing can also release droplets, it typically does so in much smaller quantities and does not have the same level of force or volume as coughing, making it a less significant concern for droplet contamination compared to the more vigorous action of coughing. Other options like sharing an MRI scanner control mouse or patting someone on the back do not commonly result in the expulsion of respiratory droplets, thus avoiding the typical routes of droplet transmission found in respiratory illnesses.