Closed bore XMR (CBXMR) systems for aortic valve replacement: investigation of rotating-anode x-ray tube heat loadability

In order to improve the safety and efficacy of percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures, a closed bore hybrid x-ray/MRI (CBXMR) system is proposed in which an x-ray C-arm will be positioned with its isocenter approximately =1 m from the entrance of a clinical MRI scanner. This system will harness the complementary strengths of both modalities to improve clinical outcome. A key component of the CBXMR system will be a rotating anode x-ray tube to produce high-quality x-ray images. There are challenges in positioning an x-ray tube in the magnetic fringe field of the MRI magnet. Here, the effects of an external magnetic field on x-ray tube induction motors of radiography x-ray tubes and the corresponding reduction of x-ray tube heat loadability are investigated. Anode rotation frequency f(aode) was unaffected when the external magnetic field Bb was parallel to the axis of rotation of the anode but decreased when Bb was perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The experimental f(anode) values agreed with predicted values to within +/-3% over a Bb range of 0-30 mT. The MRI fringe field at the proposed location of the x-ray tube mounted on the C-arm (approximately =4 mT) reduced f(anode) by only 1%, so x-ray tube heat loadability will not be compromised when using CBXMR systems for percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. Eddy current heating power in the rotor due to an MRI fringe field was found to be two orders of magnitude weaker than the heating power produced on the anode due to a fluoroscopic exposure, so eddy current heating had no effect on x-ray tube heat loadability.