Surgical modification of extracranial trajectories of DBS leads can significantly reduce image artifact and RF heating during MRI at 3T

Patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) implants can significantly benefit from MRI, however the interaction between MRI electric fields and DBS leads induces RF currents in the leads that can cause tissue heating and image artifacts. Here we show that modifying the extracranial trajectory of a DBS lead implanted into a cadaver brain significantly reduces both heating in the tissue and the image artifact around electrode contacts during MRI at 3T. Electromagnetic simulations confirm that trajectory modification can reduce induced currents in the lead, which in turn reduces the SAR amplification and distortion of B1 fields around the electrodes.