Detecting Unsafe Device Coupling Using Reversed RF Polarization

William Overall¹, Pascal Stang¹, John Pauly¹, Greig Scott¹

Patients with long-wire implants are ineligible for MR scans due to the risk of RF burns arising from RF fields coupling to their device. We propose the use of a low-power prescan to quantify the level of coupling and determine the burn risk for a particular patient in a particular scanner. This is accomplished through use of reversed RF polarization imaging, which produces images with signal proportional to RF coupling. Simulations and experimental data suggest that this technique can be reliably used to determine burn risk in a prescan setting.