Corneal temperature changes induced by high-field-strength MR imaging with a head coil.

High-field-strength/high-frequency magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems can cause tissue heating. Since the eye is particularly susceptible to temperature elevations because of its relatively poor blood supply, the authors measured corneal temperatures in 33 patients immediately before and after MR imaging performed with a 1.5-T (64-MHz) imager and a transmit/receive head coil at estimated peak specific absorption rates (SAR) ranging from 2.54 to 3.05 W/kg. There was a statistically (P less than .001) significant increase in the average corneal temperature (32.7 degrees C +/- 0.7 before imaging, 33.2 degrees C +/- 0.5 after). The changes in corneal temperature ranged from 0.0 degrees C to 1.8 degrees C (mean, 0.5 degrees C), and the highest corneal temperature measured after imaging was 34.4 degrees C. In animal models, the eye temperature threshold for radio frequency-induced cataractogenesis is between 41 degrees C and 55 degrees C. The authors conclude that clinical MR imaging with use of a head coil at the SARs studied causes relatively minor increases in corneal temperature that do not appear to pose any thermal hazard to ocular tissue.