Improved MR-thermometry during hepatic microwave ablation by correcting for intermittent electromagnetic interference...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Interventional Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• Minimally invasive treatments like MRI-guided microwave ablation (MWA) are used for localized cancer.
• Real-time monitoring via MR thermometry is crucial for MWA procedures.
• Electromagnetic interference (EMI) during MWA degrades MRI image quality, hindering accurate thermometry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel method for correcting EMI-contaminated MR thermometry images during clinical hepatic MWA.
• To improve the accuracy and reliability of MR thermometry for enhanced visualization of the treatment zone.

Main Methods:

• A new EMI correction technique was developed and applied to MR thermometry data from four clinical hepatic MWA treatments.
• MR thermometry data acquisition was synchronized to the respiratory cycle to minimize motion artifacts.
• EMI was identified and corrected using adjacent, uncontaminated k-space data frames.

Main Results:

• The EMI correction method substantially improved temperature and thermal damage maps.
• Enhanced visualization of the treatment zone was achieved.
• Ex vivo studies confirmed that the correction method introduced minimal errors to temperature and thermal damage maps.

Conclusions:

• The novel EMI correction approach effectively improves MR thermometry during MR-guided hepatic MWA.
• This technique enhances the accuracy of real-time monitoring and visualization, leading to better treatment assessment.
• The method shows promise for improving the clinical application of MWA for liver cancer.