An In-Silico Testbed for Fast and Accurate MR Labeling of Orthopaedic Implants.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging Physics

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of implants in older adults necessitates safe Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging for diagnosis.
• Existing MR imaging limitations due to implants hinder health monitoring in aging populations.

Approach:

• Developed a novel multiphysics implant modeling testbed utilizing an in-silico human model from the Visible Human Project (VHP).
• Employed finite element method (FEM) software (Ansys) for modeling MR radiofrequency (RF) coils and thermal rise in heterogeneous media.
• Integrated an in-silico VHP Female model with detailed characterization of implants and surrounding tissues for simulation.

Key Points:

• The testbed simulates MR RF coil behavior and computes heat sources on implants and adjacent tissues.
• A linked thermal FEM solver determines implant heating based on specific MR imaging protocols.
• The primary application is MR safety labeling for large orthopedic implants.

Conclusions:

• The developed testbed provides a comprehensive platform for evaluating MR imaging safety with implants.
• The tool has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as a medical device development tool (MDDT).
• This advancement facilitates safer and more effective MR imaging for patients with various implantable devices.