Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of thermal effects of RF-fields on patients during MRI

The application of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields during Magnetic Resonance Imaging causes electric currents and dielectric losses in the biological tissue of the patient during Magnetic Resonance procedures. The power deposition inside the human body leads to tissue temperature elevation. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society journal 2001-07, Vol.16 (2), p.106-113
Main Authors: Gustrau, F, Ermert, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological radiation effects
Dielectric losses
Electromagnetic field effects
Electromagnetic wave absorption
Finite element method
Heat transfer
Induced currents
Mathematical models
Scanning
Thermal effects
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Summary:The application of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields during Magnetic Resonance Imaging causes electric currents and dielectric losses in the biological tissue of the patient during Magnetic Resonance procedures. The power deposition inside the human body leads to tissue temperature elevation. This phenomenon of whole body heating is unavoidable and of growing concern, since advanced imaging sequences as well as the trend towards high-field Magnetic Resonance scanners, lead to increased power deposition inside the human body. Therefore it becomes more and more important to incorporate the thermal aspect in the process of RF coil design. This paper presents a numerical model based on the finite element method to predict the thermo-physiological responses in human subjects during Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The simulation model includes the specific absorption rate distribution inside an anatomically shaped model of the human body, the bio-heat-transfer-equation, and a mathematical model of human therm oregulation. The model is applied to a real imaging situation and validated experimentally by temperature measurements. The comparison between experimental and numerical results shows good agreement.
ISSN:1054-4887