Functional MRI Using Implanted Stereotactic EEG Electrodes --- Heating Investigation for Safety

Pallab K. Bhattacharyya¹, Jorge A. Gonzalez-Martinez², Mark J. Lowe¹, Dileep Nair¹, Richard Prayson¹, Myron Zhang¹, Stephen E. Jones¹

As a safety measure of performing MRI with implanted stereotactic EEG (SEEG) electrodes, we investigated the effect on electrode heating by the geometry and configuration of the electrodes and associated connections by measuring radio frequency induced heating of a SEEG electrode embedded within a phantom inside an intraoperative MRI suite, with the electrode directly connected to stimulus hardware located in the control room. Once the safety of the procedure was ensured, fMRI scans were performed on human subjects with implanted SEEG electrodes as well. No damage to brain slice was confirmed by pathology.