Using MR Thermometry for SAR Verification in Local PTX Applications

Klaus M. Huber¹, Joerg Roland², Johanna Schoepfer¹, Stephan Biber², Sebastian Martius¹

Monitoring local and global SAR is one of the major challenges on the way to the clinical use of parallel TX arrays. Usually, SAR estimations are based on numerical simulations with 3D-EM-tools which are rather sophisticated and tend to deliver erroneous results in case of unprecise inputs. PRF-based MR thermometry might be a powerful tool to determine spatial temperature maps and thus cross-check SAR simulations. The motivation of this study is to examine the feasibility and quantitative accuracy of MR thermometry for SAR and temperature monitoring of local transmit antenna arrays based on existing hardware.