On the Heating of Small Inductively Coupled RF Coils Mounted on an Intravascular Model Catheter During MR Imaging

Harald Busse¹, Gregor Thrmer¹, Nikita Garnov¹, Jrgen Haase², Thomas Kahn¹, Michael Moche¹

Applications in interventional MR angiography would potentially benefit from a safe and reliable localization of guidewires and catheters. Small inductively coupled RF coils have already been suggested or used as MR-visible markers for various purposes. When using such markers inside the body, however, inductively coupling during RF-intense MRI may pose a safety hazard. We have therefore investigated RF-exposed markers mounted on an intravascular model catheter and submerged in a vessel phantom under different flow conditions. While a considerable but small heating (<1C) was observed under extreme conditions without flow, a negligible heating (<0.1) was observed under a small volume flow.