[Artefacts and ferromagnetism dependent on different metal alloys in magnetic resonance imaging. An experimental...

The authors evaluated the significance of different metal alloys used in orthopaedic surgery in producing artefacts during magnetic resonance imaging. Several MRI sequences were tested and magnetic effects evaluated. Twelve discs made of different metal alloys from three manufacturers were examined. These discs were placed in a plastic box with a defined position in ultrasound gel. Then a sensitive, standard T1 weighted gradient echo sequence (TE: 4.1 ms; TR 9.4) was carried out in a coronal plane (Matrix 128/256). A Phillips Easy Vision workstation was used for image analysis. The largest area of artefact formation, including the surface size of the disc, was calculated using a special software program. In order to minimise the measurement error all discs were measured 10 times and the average value was determined. Then eight different sequences were run and measured in the same way. In a second series, all discs were placed separately on metric paper and subjected to the magnetic field of the MRI in order to detect possible motion secondary to the magnetic field applied. The different titanium alloys showed average distortion areas of from 245 mm2 (Ti6Al4V) to 349 mm2 (Ti5Al2.5Fe). Cobalt chrome alloys yielded differences of between 600 mm2 and 651 mm2 and iron alloys of between 902 mm2 (316L or Fe18Cr10NiMo) and 950 mm2 (Fe22Cr10Ni4Mn2MoNb) on average for the standard T1 weighted gradient echo. The artefact areas were dependent on the different sequences performed. For steel, (Fe18Cr10NiMo) areas of from 411 mm2 (T1TSE) to 2027 mm2 (EPI/3D/SPIR) were measured. All sequences studied produced different artefact pictures. None of the materials tested showed changes in position secondary to ferromagnetism. The size of signal distortion by MRI depends on the alloy making up the implanted material and the sequences used. The smallest artefacts occurred with the turbo-spin-echo sequences (TSE). The alloys tested in our study seem to carry no risk for patients of ferromagnetically induced secondary loosening caused by MRI scanning.