RF heating of an intracranial pressure sensor in a 64 MHz head-only RF coil: a simulation study

Heating of implanted medical devices is a well-known hazard in MRI. We evaluated a device which represents an intracranial pressure sensor device, in which a catheter would be inserted into the cranium while the remainder of the catheter and device would be outside the skull, possibly under the skin. The device was modeled as a PEC with a fixed length and was positioned with a variable amount of the lead within the brain and exposure to a 64 MHz head-only RF coil. We found the heating is highest when the amount of the lead within the brain is minimized.