Sunder S. Rajan

A Novel Method to Decrease Electric Field and SAR Using an External High Dielectric Sleeve at 3 T Head MRI: Numerical and Experimental Results

Materials with high dielectric constant (HDC) have been used in high field MRI to decrease specific absorption rate (SAR), increase magnetic field intensity, and increase signal-to-noise ratio. In previous studies, the HDC materials were placed inside the RF coil decreasing the space available. This study describes an alternative approach that considers an HDC-based sleeve placed outside the RF coil. The effects of an HDC on the electromagnetic (EM) field were studied using numerical simulations with a coil unloaded and loaded with a human head model. In addition, experimental EM measurements at 128 MHz were performed inside a custom-made head coil, fitted with a distilled water sleeve. The numerical simulations showed up to 40% decrease in maximum 10 g-avg. SAR on the surface of the head model with an HDC material of barium titanate. Experimental measurements also showed up to 20% decrease of maximum electric field using an HDC material of distilled water. The proposed method can be incorporated in the design of high field transmit RF coils.

A Rotational Cylindrical fMRI Phantom for Image Quality Control.

Purpose A novel phantom for image quality testing for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans is described. Methods The cylindrical, rotatable, ~4.5L phantom, with eight wedge-shaped compartments, is used to simulate rest and activated states. The compartments contain NiCl2 doped agar gel with alternating concentrations of agar (1.4%, 1.6%) to produce T1 and T2 values approximating brain grey matter. The Jacard index was used to compare the image distortions for echo planar imaging (EPI) and gradient recalled echo (GRE) scans. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) was compared across the imaging volume for GRE and EPI. Results The mean T2 for the two agar concentrations were found to be 106.5±4.8, 94.5±4.7 ms, and T1 of 1500±40 and 1485±30 ms, respectively. The Jacard index for GRE was generally found to be higher than for EPI (0.95 versus 0.8). The CNR varied from 20 to 50 across the slices and echo times used for EPI scans, and from 20 to 40 across the slices for the GRE scans. The phantom provided a reproducible CNR over 25 days. Conclusions The phantom provides a quantifiable signal change over a head-size imaging volume with EPI and GRE sequences, which was used for image quality assessment.

RF Safety Evaluation of a Breast Tissue Expander Device for MRI: Numerical Simulation and Experiment

This study describes the MRI-related radio frequency (RF) safety evaluation of breast tissue expander devices to establish safety criteria. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements were performed at 64 MHz with a gel phantom containing a breast expander. Additionally, computational modeling was performed (64 and 128 MHz) with an adult female model, containing a virtually implanted breast tissue expander device for four imaging landmark positions. The presence of the breast tissue expander device led to significant alterations in specific absorption rate (SAR) and |B₁⁺| distributions. The main source of SAR alterations with the use of the breast expander device was the saline-filled pouch of the expander. Conversely, the variation of RF magnetic field (B₁⁺) was mainly caused by the metallic port. The measured values of electric field magnitude did not increase significantly due to the introduction of the expander device. The maximum 1g- or 10g-averaged SAR values in tissues near the implant were lower than those expected in other regions of the patient body with normalization of both |B₁⁺| equal to 2 <italic>μ</italic> T at the coil isocenter and whole body averaged SAR equal to 4 W/kg.

A New Method to Concentrate Electromagnetic Field Within ROI Using a High Dielectric Material in 3T Body MRI

We present numerical simulation results showing that high dielectric materials (HDMs) when placed between the human body model and the body coil significantly alter the electromagnetic field inside the body. The numerical simulation results show that the electromagnetic field (E, B, and SAR) within a region of interest (ROI) is concentrated (increased). In addition, the average electromagnetic fields decreased significantly outside the region of interest. The calculation results using a human body model and HDM of Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) show that the mean local SAR was decreased by about 56% (i.e., 18.7 vs. 8.2 W/kg) within the body model.Copyright

Radio-Frequency Safety Assessment of Stents in Blood Vessels During Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the need for high-resolution detailed anatomical modeling to correctly estimate radio-frequency (RF) safety during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RF-induced heating near metallic implanted devices depends on the electric field tangential to the device (Etan). Etan and specific absorption rate (SAR) were analyzed in blood vessels of an anatomical model to understand if a standard gel phantom accurately represents the potential heating in tissues due to passive vascular implants such as stents. Methods: A numerical model of an RF birdcage body coil and an anatomically realistic virtual patient with a native spatial resolution of 1 mm3 were used to simulate the in vivo electric field at 64 MHz (1.5 T MRI system). Maximum values of SAR inside the blood vessels were calculated and compared with peaks in a numerical model of the ASTM gel phantom to see if the results from the simplified and homogeneous gel phantom were comparable to the results from the anatomical model. Etan values were also calculated in selected stent trajectories inside blood vessels and compared with the ASTM result. Results: Peak SAR values in blood vessels were up to ten times higher than those found in the ASTM standard gel phantom. Peaks were found in clinically significant anatomical locations, where stents are implanted as per intended use. Furthermore, Etan results showed that volume-averaged SAR values might not be sufficient to assess RF safety. Conclusion: Computational modeling with a high-resolution anatomical model indicated higher values of the incident electric field compared to the standard testing approach. Further investigation will help develop a robust safety testing method which reflects clinically realistic conditions.

A Novel Method to Decrease Electric Field and SAR Using an External High Dielectric Sleeve at 3T Head MRI: Numerical and Experimental Results

We present experimental and numerical simulation results showing that high dielectric materials (HDMs) located outside of a RF head coil decrease the electric field (E-field, |E|) with minimum change of the RF magnetic field (B1+) at 3T MRI imaging. Compared to previous research using HDMs located between the RF coil and sample, our method locating the HDM outside the coil allowed an increased sample size and more flexibility of HDM thickness optimization. Numerical simulation results showed more than 30% decrease in the local SAR at the boundary region of the head model. Validating experimental results showed a 21% decrease in the maximum |Etotal| using a HDM made of distilled water.Copyright