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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><img width="599" height="171" style="width:6.2395in;height:1.7812in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.png@01DBA4B0.43ED5BF0" alt="Dissertation Defense Announcement at the Cullen College of Engineering"></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#C8102E;mso-ligatures:none">Unanticipated Peripheral Nerve Stimulation in MRI: Implications for Patients with Implantable Devices</span></b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#C8102E;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">Lijian Yang</span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">April</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">18</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">, 2025, 1</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">2</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">p</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">.m. to
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">2</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> p.m. (CST)<br>
Location: </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">Engineering Building 1 N325</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">,
or </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19*3ameeting_NjVjZTc3NGYtYzA1OC00YTU2LWE4YWUtYmRlM2M0OGUwNjE1*40thread.v2/0?context=*7b*22Tid*22*3a*22170bbabd-a2f0-4c90-ad4b-0e8f0f0c4259*22*2c*22Oid*22*3a*221a5e5d81-8c9a-4801-b362-fe4f2c03439b*22*7d__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!LkSTlj0I!E1BxhLln6Tj2q7NWlJRRG3zRkOjudDPEe0vyyUUMQz2JpwSXp7hZ8MCDJdYXKVAr5TzUVYmmKcVpEkCrGOiOBk7ApIA$"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Microsoft
Teams</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">
</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"> </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Committee Chair:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
Dr. Ji Chen, Ph.D.</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Committee Members:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
Dr. David R. Jackson, Ph.D. | Dr. Hui Ye, Ph.D. | Dr. Norbert Kaula, Ph.D. | <br>
Dr. Jianfeng Zheng, Ph.D.</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#C8102E;mso-ligatures:none">Abstract</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#C8102E;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">This dissertation presents computational investigations into the effects of metallic implants and implanted electrodes on peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) during
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By integrating anatomical electromagnetic simulations with thermal and neurophysiological modeling, the work aims to assess how implant-related modifications to the local electromagnetic environment influence neural activation
thresholds under MRI exposure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">The first study examines the impact of orthopedic plates implanted in clinically relevant anatomical regions on gradient-induced PNS thresholds. Results demonstrate
that metallic implants can significantly reduce activation thresholds—by up to 80%—bringing some values close to the safety limits defined in IEC 60601-2-33. The second study extends this analysis by evaluating how the length of orthopedic plates affects both
gradient-induced electric field distribution and RF-induced tissue heating. It reveals that longer plates enhance electric field gradients near their edges, lowering nerve activation thresholds, while also exhibiting higher local RF heating, which further
modulates nerve excitability. The third study focuses on unintended vagus nerve stimulation in the presence of cuff electrodes, where combined gradient and RF fields are shown to reduce activation thresholds, particularly during short-pulse gradient waveforms.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Together, these studies highlight critical interactions between implants, MRI gradient and RF fields, revealing potential safety concerns for patients with orthopedic
implants or implantable neurostimulators. The findings show the importance of incorporating neurophysiological modeling into MRI safety assessments for individuals with implants.</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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