Transmit array concepts for improved MRI safety in the presence of long conductors

Introduction: The MRI RF body coil transmit field can couple to conductive metal structures such as guidewires and implant leads. This can induce currents along the wire, which can cause heating and safety hazards [1, 2]. In this work, we take preliminary steps in investigating the potential of using an array of transmit surface coils to minimize the current induced on guidewires. We also consider the possibility of generalizing the concept of a transmit array to drive the guidewire with a source of chosen magnitude and phase, as if the wire were an additional array element, in order to null out undesired current induced in it by the imaging protocol.