Modeling radiofrequency responses of realistic multi-electrode leads containing helical and straight wires

To present a modeling workflow for the evaluation of a lead electromagnetic model (LEM) consisting of a transfer function (TF) and a calibration factor. The LEM represents an analytical relationship between the RF response of a lead and the incident electromagnetic field. The study also highlights the importance of including key geometric details of the lead and the electrode when modeling multi-electrode leads.

The electrical and thermal responses of multi-electrode leads with helical and straight wires were investigated using 3D electromagnetic (EM) and thermal co-simulations. The net dissipated power (P) around each lead electrode and the net temperature increase at the electrodes (ΔT) were obtained for a set of incident EM fields with different spatial distributions. A reciprocity approach was used to determine a TF for each electrode based on the results of the computational model. The evaluation of the calibration factors and the TF validation were performed using the linear regression of P versus the LEM predictions.

P and ΔT were investigated for four multi-electrode leads and four single-electrode leads containing either helical or straight wires. All electrodes of the multi-electrode lead were found to be points of high power deposition and temperature rise. The LEMs for the individual electrodes varied substantially. A significant dependence of the calibration factors on the surrounding tissue medium was also found. Finally, the model showed that the TF, the calibration factor, P and ΔT for multi-electrode leads differ significantly from those for single-electrode leads.

These results highlight the need to evaluate a LEM for each electrode of a multi-electrode lead as well as for each possible surrounding medium. It is also shown that the results derived from simulations based on simplified single-electrode leads can significantly mislead multi-electrode lead analyses.