Desktop MRI as a promising tool for mapping intra-aneurismal flow

In this work we evaluate the performance of a 40-mm diameter bore 0.2 T desktop Halbach tomograph to obtain 2D and 3D velocity maps for studying intra-aneurismal flow in the presence or absence of nitinol meshed implants with the aim of optimizing the flow diverter efficacy. Phantoms with known spatial velocity distribution were used to determine the performance of the MRI system. Maximum velocities of about 200 mm/s could be measured with a precision of 1% at a spatial resolution of 0.5 × 0.5 × 1 mm3. This accuracy is suitable to evaluate in vitro intra-aneurismal flow under different conditions such as variable flow rates, different vessel-aneurysm geometry, as well as the influence of metallic flow diverters on the intra-aneurismal flow distribution. The information obtained non-invasively with desktop tomographs can be used to complement in vivo studies in order to decide the optimum flow diverter.