Imaging Around Metal

Comparison of lumbar spine MRI images after anterior and posterior spinal fusion acquired at 0.55T and 3T, showing reduced metal artifact at lower field strength and improved visualization of the spinal canal at the L3 L4 level.

Using a novel 0.55T system we studied patients with metal implants at the spine (spinal fusion with metal hardware) and hip (hip arthroplasties) and found that imaging at 0.55T had superior image quality and showed abnormalities better than imaging at 1.5 or 3T. We also performed a biophantom study using metallic implants (steel and titanium screws) in pig knees which demonstrated substantial reduction of artifact size resulting in superior depiction of anatomical structures at 0.55 T MRI.