• Frank G Shellock and John R Forder.
• Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. frank.shellock@gte.net
• J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2005 Jan 1; 7 (2): 415-9.

PurposeTo evaluate MR safety at 3 Tesla for a drug eluting coronary stent.MethodsA drug eluting coronary stent (Endeavor, cobalt alloy, Medtronic Vascular, Santa Rosa, CA) was evaluated for magnetic field interactions, heating, and artifacts at 3 Tesla. MRI-related heating was assessed with the stent in a gelled saline-filled phantom using a transmit/received RF body coil with a whole body averaged SAR of 2.0 W/kg. Artifacts were characterized using T1-weighted, spin echo, and gradient echo pulse sequences.ResultsThe stent exhibited minor magnetic field interactions that will not cause migration. Heating was not substantial (+0.5 degrees C). Artifacts may create a problem if the area of interest is in the same area or close to the stent (e.g., for a T1-weighted, spin echo pulse sequence, within approximately 16 mm; for a gradient echo pulse sequence, within approximately 23 mm). Conclusion. The findings indicated that it would be safe for a patient with this cobalt alloy-based, drug-eluting coronary stent to undergo MRI at 3 Tesla or less. Importantly, because of the relative lack of magnetic field interactions, MRI may be performed immediately after implantation.

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