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PurposeThe Radiofrequency (RF)‐induced heating for an active implantable medical device (AIMD) with dual parallel leads is evaluated in this paper. The coupling effects between dual parallel leads are studied via simulations and experiments methods. The global transfer function technique is used to assess the RF‐induced heating for dual‐lead AIMDs inside four human body models. MethodsRF‐induced heating for spinal cord stimulator systems with 60 and 90 cm length leads are studied at three parallel dual‐lead configurations (closely spaced, 8 mm spaced, and 40 mm spaced) and a single‐lead configuration. The global transfer function method is used to develop the AIMD models of different configurations and is used for lead‐tip heating assessments inside human body models. ResultsIn simulation studies, the peak 1g specific absorption rate/temperatrue rises of dual parallel leads systems is lower than those from the single‐lead system. In experimental American Society for Testing and Materials phantom studies, the temperature rises for the single‐lead AIMD system can be 2.4 times higher than that from dual‐lead AIMD systems. For the spinal cord stimulator systems used in the study, the statistical analysis shows the RF‐induced heating of dual‐lead configurations are also lower than those from the single‐lead configuration inside all four human body models. ConclusionFor the AIMD system in this study, it shows that the coupling effects between the dual parallel leads of AIMD systems can reduce RF‐induced heating. The global transfer function for different spatial distance dual‐lead configurations can potentially provide a method for the RF‐induced heating evaluation for dual‐lead AIMD systems. 

PurposeThe paper presents a novel method to reduce the RF‐induced heating of active implantable medical devices during MRI. MethodsWith the addition of an energy decoying and dissipating structure, RF energy can be redirected toward the dissipating rings through the decoying conductor. Three lead groups (45 cm‐50 cm) and 4 (50 cm‐100 cm) were studied in 1.5 Tesla MR systems by simulation and measurement, respectively. In vivo modeling was performed using human models to estimate the RF‐induced heating of an active implantable medical device for spinal cord treatment. ResultIn the simulation study, it was shown that the peak 1g‐averaged specific absorption rate near the lead‐tips can be reduced by 70% to 80% compared to those from the control leads. In the experimental measurements during a 2‐min exposure test in a 1.5 Telsa MR system, the temperature rises dropped from the original 18.3℃, 25.8℃, 8.1℃, and 16.1℃ (control leads 1‐4) to 5.4℃, 6.9℃, 1.6℃, and 3.3℃ (leads 1‐4 with the energy decoying and dissipation structure). The in vivo calculation results show that the maximum induced temperature rise among all cases can be substantially reduced (up to 80%) when the energy decoying and dissipating structures were used. ConclusionOur studies confirm the effectiveness of the novel technique for a variety of scanning scenarios. The results also indicate that the decoying conductor length, number of rings, and ring area must be carefully chosen and validated. 

PurposeTo assess RF‐induced heating hazards in 1.5T MR systems caused by body‐loop postures. MethodsTwelve advanced high‐resolution anatomically correct human body models with different body‐loop postures are created based on poseable human adult male models. Numerical simulations are performed to assess the radiofrequency (RF)‐induced heating of these 12 models at 11 landmarks. A customized phantom is developed to validate the numerical simulations and quantitatively analyze factors affecting the RF‐induced heating, eg, the contact area, the loop size, and the loading position. The RF‐induced heating inside three differently posed phantoms is measured. ResultsThe RF‐induced heating from the body‐loop postures can be up to 11 times higher than that from the original posture. The RF‐induced heating increases with increasing body‐loop size and decreasing contact area. The magnetic flux increases when the body‐loop center and the RF coil isocenter are close to each other, leading to increased RF‐induced heating. An air gap created in the body loop or generating a polarized magnetic field parallel to the body loop can reduce the heating by a factor of three at least. Experimental measurements are provided, validating the correctness of the numerical results. ConclusionSafe patient posture during MR examinations is recommended with the use of insulation materials to prevent loop formation and consequently avoiding high RF‐induced heating. If body loops cannot be avoided, the body loop should be placed outside the RF transmitting coil. In addition, linear polarization with magnetic fields parallel to the body loop can be used to circumvent high RF‐induced heating. 

PurposeDuring MR scans, abandoned leads from active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) can experience excessive heating at the lead tip, depending on the type of termination applied to the proximal contacts (proximal end treatment). The influence of different proximal end treatments (ie, [1] freely exposed in the tissue, [2] terminated with metal in contact with the tissue, or [3] capped with plastic, and thereby fully insulated, on the RF‐induced lead‐tip heating) are studied. A technique to ensure that MR Conditional AIMD leads remain MR Conditional even when abandoned is recommended. MethodsAbandoned leads from three MR Conditional AIMDs ([1] a sacral neuromodulation system, [2] a cardiac rhythm management pacemaker system, and [3] a deep brain stimulator system) were investigated in this study. The computational lead models (ie, the transfer functions) for different proximal end treatments were measured and used to assess the in vivo lead‐tip heating for four virtual human models (FATS, Duke, Ella, and Billie) and compared with the lead‐tip heating of the complete MR Conditional AIMD system. ResultThe average and maximum lead‐tip heating for abandoned leads proximally capped with metal is always lower than that from the complete AIMD system. Abandoned leads proximally insulated could lead to an average in vivo temperature rise up to 3.5 times higher than that from the complete AIMD system. ConclusionFor the three investigated AIMDs under 1.5T MR scanning, our results indicate that RF‐induced lead‐tip heating of abandoned leads strongly depends on the proximal lead termination. A metallic cap applied to the proximal termination of the tested leads could significantly reduce the RF‐induced lead‐tip heating.