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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@01DBA676.D3B8D8A0" 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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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:106%"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#C8102E;mso-ligatures:none">Comprehensive MRI Safety Assessment: Impact of Strain-Relief
Loop Position, Lateral Movement, and Varying Field Strengths on RF-Induced Heating of Medical Implants<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Mir Khadiza Akter</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;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">April 17, 2025, 1:30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. (CST)<br>
Location: ECE Large Conference room D N328, 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_YjdiMTM4M2UtYzU0Zi00ODZmLWEwODItN2QyOWI3YjQwMjA2*40thread.v2/0?context=*7b*22Tid*22*3a*22170bbabd-a2f0-4c90-ad4b-0e8f0f0c4259*22*2c*22Oid*22*3a*221db9e842-36a3-431c-9d9d-847f9f5e172b*22*7d__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!LkSTlj0I!GO3qkKj_aTESznBUp2jOsgaryzVOgbb-1J1YIurRZ59YZIVxrFYYTgNKplsSIpN9EXGe-1IXbXdI39vwHe9lIWTj1mg$"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Microsoft
Teams</span></a></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 Chair:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><br>
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>
David R. Jackson, Ph.D. | Jianfeng Zheng, Ph.D. | Ananda Kumar, Ph.D. | <br>
Michael Steckner, M.D., 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 focuses on three factors critical to the radiofrequency (RF)-induced heating hazards of implantable medical devices (IMDs). First, the impact of strain
relief loop positions on RF heating of AIMDs at 1.5T MRI is studied. The AIMDs are constructed with an implantable pulse generator (IPG) and insulated leads with exposed electrodes. Surgeons often coil the leads into strain relief loops (SRLs) to accommodate
extra length and reduce the risk of lead breakage. However, the positioning of these loops can significantly alter RF heating, and this study examines the mechanisms behind SRL</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">positioning and its implications across various AIMDs and human models. The second part of this dissertation examines the impact of lateral patient movement
on RF heating in AIMDs and PIMDs within wide-bore 3T MRI machines. Medical devices are typically labeled with the assumption that patients are centered laterally, but wide-bore systems allow lateral movement, which may alter labeling. Lastly, the dissertation
examines the RF-induced heating behavior of PIMDs at 5T MRI, an emerging field with the recent FDA clearance for 5T MRI systems. The heating effects of PIMDs at 5T are compared with those at 1.5T and 3T, highlighting the differences in heating behavior across
various field strengths.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;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">The findings of this dissertation provide valuable insights into the RF-induced heating risks of AIMDs and PIMDs across different MRI field strengths and patient positioning
scenarios. By addressing key factors such as strain relief loop positioning, lateral movement in wide-bore MRI, and high-field MRI heating effects, this work contributes to the ongoing efforts to enhance MRI safety guidelines for implanted medical devices.</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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