Development and validation of methods for individualized assessment of the MRI safety of active implants

On Friday November the 28th 2025, Chiara Hartmann will defend his thesis "Development and validation of methods for individualized assessment of the MRI safety of active implants".

This thesis has been directed by Emmanuel Barbier and Jan Warnking of the GIN.

Jury members

- Jacques Felblinger, Université de Lorraine, rapporteur
- Marie Poirier-Quinot, Universtié de Paris Saclay, rapporteure
- Olivier Errnst, Université de Lille, examinateur
- Etienne Pierre, Université Grenoble INP-UGA, examinateur
- Constantin Slioussarenko, Institut de Myologie, examinateur
- Jan Warnking, Inserm Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, co-directeur de thèse
- Emmanuel Barbier, Inserm Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, directeur de thèse

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) presents risks for patients with medical implants such as deep brain stimulation leads. The interaction between the MRI radiofrequency magnetic field and the implant can cause tissue heating, with a risk of thermal lesion. Two studies were conducted, one aimed at developing and validating MRI methods to predict the individual risk of heating using a pre-scan, and the other to monitor implant temperature in real-time during the MRI examination. This work includes the development of new MRI acquisition methods, advanced MRI signal modeling tools and methods for analyzing the acquired signals. A good accuracy of the heating predicted was demonstrated in the first study under laboratory conditions. The second study identified a new method for measuring implant heating in MRI and preliminary results confirmed its temperature sensitivit