Magnetic field perturbation in proton MR imaging - A study of a contrast agent and of distortions due to metallic implants.

摘要

Perturbations of the static magnetic field in proton MR imaging (NMR imaging, MRI, MRT) result in image distortion and/or signal loss. An investigation of a superparamagnetic contrast agent for MR imaging has been performed. Magnetite particles were embedded in biodegradable starch spheres with a diameter of one micrometer. Animal experiments showed that the agent was quickly accumulated in the reticulo-endothelial system (RES), causing a decrease in signal intensity in this region. Diffusion within the locally generated magnetic field perturbation is responsible for signal loss in spin-echo images. Furthermore, the magnetic properties of various aneurysm clips were investigated to determine which clips could be used safely in a clinical MR investigation. MR artifacts caused by the metallic clips were studied using a geometric phantom. Non-ferromagnetic clips were concluded to be safe for examinations with medium field (0.3 tesla) MR imaging systems. A comparison study between MR and CT was performed on patients harbouring intracranial, nonferromagnetic aneurysm clips. The artifacts close to the clips were equally serve for MR and CT, but at some distance, the MR images were much less affected than the CT images. Finally, a computer program capable of simulating any realistic MR imaging situation has been developed. Raw data matrices are obtained by solving the Bloch equations. Corrections for intravascular spin behaviour have been implemented together with efficient algorithms. A quantitative investigation of signal displacement and signal loss, caused by small metallic implants, has been performed by computer simulation. An exact expression for the magnetic field outside a homogeneous ellipsoid in an external magnetic field has been derived. Distortions in MR images, caused by perturbing ellipsoids of different shapes and orientations, were studied. (30 refs.) (au). (Atomindex citation 23:086692)