The engineering of an interventional MRI with a movable 1.5 Tesla magnet

The engineering of a novel intra-operative AMI system is described. A movab le, 1.5 Tesla MRI magnet was placed in a neurosurgical operating room witho ut affecting established neurosurgical procedure. The system allows fast, h igh-quality MR intra-operative imaging of the brain and spine without the n ecessity of patient transportation. A neuro-navigational device capable of displaying and updating spatially referenced MR images In the operating roo m was integrated with the NM system. Over 100 procedures have been carried out with this system without limiting surgical access and without compromis ing traditional neurosurgical, nursing or anesthetic techniques. (C) 2001 W iley-Liss, Inc.