Interventional and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging

The goal of the Image Guided Therapy Program, as the name implies, is to de velop the use of imaging to guide minimally invasive therapy. The program c ombines interventional and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high-performance computing and novel therapeutic devices. In clinical practice the multidisciplinary program provides for the investigation of a wide range of interventional and surgical procedures. The Signa SP 0.5 T su perconducting MRI system (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) has a 56-cm-wi de vertical gap, allowing access to the patient and permitting the executio n of interactive MRI-guided procedures. This system is integrated with an o ptical tracking system and utilizes flexible surface coils and MRI-compatib le displays to facilitate procedures. Images are obtained with routine puls e sequences. Nearly real-time imaging, with fast gradient-recalled echo seq uences, may be acquired at a rate of one image every 1.5 s with interactive image plane selection. Since 1994, more than 800 of these procedures, incl uding various percutaneous procedures and open surgeries, have been success fully performed at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA).