Complementary analysis of specific absorption rate safety for an 8Tx/16Rx array with central symmetry of elements for magnetic resonance imaging of the human heart and abdominopelvic organs at 7 T

Abstract

A complementary safety assessment of the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the electromagnetic energy was performed in a prototype 8Tx/16Rx RF array for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 7 T. The study aimed to address two critical aspects of 7‐T SAR safety not always explicitly examined by coil vendors: (i) the influence of an RF‐array position on a peak SAR value, and (ii) the risk of exceeding the permitted maximal SAR in the tissue surrounding conductive passive implants. The full‐wave 3D electromagnetic simulations for the thorax with shifted array position and the whole‐body volume in the presence of a dental retainer, an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), and a hip joint implant, were performed for two human voxel models. The effect of the array displacement on the SAR was simulated for seven array locations on the thorax shifted from the central position in different directions on 50 mm. The peak SAR values for both models were analyzed for the three phase‐only transmit vectors optimized for B1+ homogeneity and transmit efficiency. Peak SAR values due to the shifts of the array position increase up to ≈50%. The worst‐case peak SAR value for a dental retainer was found to be in the range of 10% of the maximal SAR in the tissue within the array's borders. For the IUD and artificial hip joint implants the effect was found to be negligible (peak SAR < 1% of the SAR within array borders). In addition to simulations for cardiac MRI, we performed a preliminary B1+ shimming and SAR‐safety analysis for the same RF‐array at various positions lower on the body trunk to assess a potential application in imaging abdominopelvic organs (prostate, kidney, and liver). The most promising target for an ad hoc alternative application of the array was found to be the prostate.