Title :
Currents in the human body induced by time varying magnetic fields in MRI-FE simulation
Author :
Wach, P. ; Simunic, D. ; Renhart, W. ; Stollberger, R.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Biomed. Eng., Graz Univ. of Technol., Austria
Abstract :
The finite element method was applied in order to calculate current densities in the human torso induced by switched gradients of the magnetic field during MRI. The region of the heart muscle was in the focus of interest, because it is well-known that low-frequency currents could cause a stimulation process in human excitable tissues. Possible stimulation of the heart muscle or inducing the even more dangerous state of ventricular fibrillation can be fatal for the human being. Therefore the values of induced current densities were calculated in the heart muscle. An attempt was made to consider the influence of the current waveform. Finally, the obtained values were compared to the existing recommendations in the field
Keywords :
bioelectric phenomena; biological effects of fields; biomedical NMR; cardiology; current density; finite element analysis; cardiac electrophysiology; current densities calculation; current waveform; heart muscle stimulation; human body; human excitable tissues; induced currents; low-frequency currents; time varying magnetic fields; ventricular fibrillation; Current density; Fibrillation; Finite element methods; Heart; Humans; Magnetic fields; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic switching; Muscles; Torso;
Conference_Titel :
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 1995., IEEE 17th Annual Conference
Conference_Location :
Montreal, Que.
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-2475-7
DOI :
10.1109/IEMBS.1995.575203
