Numerical evaluation of the fields induced by body motion in or near high-field MRI scanners

In modern magnetic resonance imaging, both patients and health care workers are exposed to strong. non-uniform static magnetic fields inside and outside of the scanner. In which body movement may be able to induce electric currents in tissues which could be potentially harmful. This paper presents theoretical investigations into the spatial distribution of induced E-fields in a tissue-equivalent human model when moving at various positions around the magnet. The numerical calculations are based on an efficient. quasi-static, finite-difference scheme. Three-dimensional field profiles from an actively shielded 4 T magnet system are used and the body model projected through the field profile with normalized velocity. The simulation shows that it is possible to induce E-fields/currents near the level of physiological significance under some circumstances and provides insight into the spatial characteristics of the induced fields. The methodology presented herein can be extrapolated to very high field strengths for the evaluation of the effects of motion at a variety of field strengths and velocities. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical evaluation of e-fields induced by body motion near high-field MRI scanner

In modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), both patients and radiologists are exposed to strong, nonuniform static magnetic fields inside or outside of the scanner, in which the body movement may be able to induce electric currents in tissues which could be possibly harmful. This paper presents theoretical investigations into the spatial distribution of induced E-fields in the human model when moving at various positions around the magnet. The numerical calculations are based on an efficient, quasistatic, finite-difference scheme and an anatomically realistic, full-body, male model. 3D field profiles from an actively-shielded 4 T magnet system are used and the body model projected through the field profile with normalized velocity. The simulation shows that it is possible to induce E-fields/currents near the level of physiological significance under some circumstances and provides insight into the spatial characteristics of the induced fields. The results are easy to extrapolate to very high field strengths for the safety evaluation at a variety of field strengths and motion velocities.

Compact tunable microfluidic interferometer

We demonstrate a compact tunable filter based on a novel microfluidic single beam Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The optical path difference occurs during propagation across a fluid-air interface ( meniscus), the inherent mobility of which provides tunability. Optical losses are minimized by optimizing the meniscus shape through surface treatment. Optical spectra are compared to a 3D beam propagation method simulations and good agreement is found. Tunability, low insertion loss and strength of the resonance are well reproduced. The device performance displays a resonance depth of - 28 dB and insertion loss maintained at - 4 dB. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.