Open-bore vertical MRI scanners generate significantly less RF heating around deep brain stimulation leads compared to horizontal scanners

TL;DR

Vertical open-bore MRI scanners produce significantly less RF heating around deep brain stimulation leads than horizontal scanners, potentially improving safety for patients with implants during MRI procedures.

Contribution

This study provides the first comparative analysis of RF heating in vertical versus horizontal MRI scanners for DBS devices, highlighting reduced heating in vertical systems.

Findings

Lower RF heating observed in vertical scanners

Up to 14-fold reduction in SAR in vertical scanners

Consistent results across experimental and simulation methods

Abstract

Objectives Studies that assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) induced radiofrequency (RF) heating of the tissue in the presence of an active electronic implant are mostly performed in horizontal, closed-bore scanners. Vertical, open-bore MRI systems have a 90{\deg} rotated magnet and generate a fundamentally different RF field distribution in the body, yet little is known about the RF heating of deep brain stimulation (DBS) systems in this class of scanners. Here, we investigated whether RF heating of DBS devices was significantly different in a vertical, open-bore MRI scanner compared to a horizontal, closed-bore MRI scanner. Materials and Methods In this phantom study, RF heating around the lead of a commercial DBS system implanted in an anthropomorphic phantom was evaluated in a 1.2 T vertical open-bore scanner (Oasis, Fujifilm Healthcare) and a 1.5 T horizontal closed-bore scanner (Aera, Siemens Healthineers). DBS devices were implanted following 30 realistic lead trajectories. Electromagnetic simulations were performed to assess the specific absorption rate (SAR) of RF energy around leads with different internal structures. Results When controlling for B1+rms, temperature increase around the lead-tip was significantly lower at the vertical scanner compared to the horizontal scanner (p-value=9.1x10-7). Electromagnetic simulations demonstrated up to a 14-fold reduction in the maximum 0.1g-averaged SAR deposited in the tissue surrounding the lead-tip in a vertical scanner compared to a horizontal scanner for leads with straight and helical internal wires. Conclusions RF experiments and electromagnetic simulations demonstrated consistently lower RF heating and power deposition around the DBS lead-tip at the vertical scanner compared to the horizontal scanner. Our simulation results suggest that this trend in heating may potentially extend to leads from other manufacturers.