Evaluation of MRI compatibility and safety risks for biomaterials

Medical biomaterials are being used to replace or support severely damaged or completely missing tissue and organs at human body. Current usage of these products in medicine has become quite prevalent thanks to developments of biomaterial technology. However, in case a medical biomaterial is exposed to an environment including extremely strong energy that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device generates, undesirable results in terms of human health may occur. Especially metalliferous biomaterials in the body interact with strong static magnetic field, gradient magnetic field and radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic pulses which are used during MRI. Such magnetic fields used in MR scanners can result in electromagnetic compatibility and interference issues such as magnetically induced force, torque and tissue heating due to RF coupling with medical biomaterials which conduct the electricity. Consequently, these interactions may lead the persons carrying the biomaterial get injured seriously. In this paper, by researching possible physical effects of MRI device on biomaterials used as body support equipments, MRI compatibility and safety in terms of biomaterials is evaluated.