MR-guided placement of a temporary vena cava filter: Technique and feasibility

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the feasibility of MR-guided i nsertion of a temporary vena cava Biter on an open low-field imager, In viv o procedures were performed on four anesthetized pigs using a common nonfer romagnetic temporary vena cava filter and a special prototype guidewire dev eloped for vascular interventions guided by low-field MRI, Breath-hold spoi led gradient-echo sequences (fast low-angle shot [FLASH]) with now compensa tion were used for position monitoring of the passively visualized intravas cular devices. Using the described technique and equipment, all steps of th e procedure were feasible in the MR unit. Practicability of the procedure s eems to be sufficient for clinical purposes but was inferior compared to th e conventional technique of filter placement.