MR compatibility of EEG scalp electrodes at 4 tesla

PURPOSE: To design and apply a method to quantitatively evaluate the MR compatibility of electroencephalographic (EEG) scalp electrodes based on pulse sequence-independent metrics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three types of electrodes (constructed primarily of brass, silver, and conductive plastic, respectively) were tested. B0 field distortions, B1 shielding, and heat induction was measured in adjacent agarose and oil phantoms at 4 T. B0 field maps were corrected for distortions caused by the measurement apparatus and passive shim heating, and projections perpendicular to the surfaces of the electrodes were fit, generating cubic coefficients representing the electrode distortion severity. Signal loss in T2-weighted images was used to determine B1 shielding by the electrodes. Temperature measurements were recorded during the application of a high-power pulse sequence. RESULTS: Significantly different B0 distortions were observed in the three types of electrodes. The B1 shielding detected in all three electrodes is minimal for most human MRI, and no significant heating was detected in the electrodes or adjacent phantom. CONCLUSION: The three types of electrodes were successfully differentiated in terms of MR compatibility based on pulse sequence-independent B0 field distortions.