Heating Around Intravascular Guidewires by Resonating RF Waves

We examined the unwanted radiofrequency (RF) heating of an endovascular guidewire frequently used in interventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A Terumo guidewire was partly immersed in an oblong saline bath to simulate an endovascular intervention. The temperature rise of the guidewire tip during an FFE sequence average specific absorption rate (SAR) = 3.9 W/kg was measured with a Luxtron fluoroscopic fiber. Starting from 26°C, the guidewire tip reached temperatures up to 74°C after 30 seconds of scanning. Touching the guidewire may cause sudden heating at the point of contact, which in one instance caused a skin burn. The excessive heating of a linear conductor like the guidewire can only be explained by resonating RF waves. The capricious dependencies of this resonance phenomenon on environmental factors have severe consequences for predictability and safety guidelines. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;12:79–85. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.