Characterization of magnetic interference and image artefacts during simultaneous in-beam MR imaging and proton pencil beam scanning

For the first time, a low-field open magnetic resonance (MR) scanner was combined with a proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) research beamline. The aim of this study was to characterize the magnetic fringe fields produced by the PBS system and measure their effects on MR image quality during simultaneous PBS irradiation and image acquisition. A magnetic field camera measured the change in central resonance frequency (Δfres) and magnetic field homogeneity (ΔMFH) of the B0 field of the MR scanner during operation of the beam transport and scanning magnets. The beam energy was varied between 70−220 MeV and beam scanning was performed along the central horizontal and vertical axis of a 48 × 24 cm2 radiation field. The time structure of the scanning magnets’ fringe fields was simultaneously recorded by a tri-axial Hall probe. MR imaging experiments were conducted using the ACR (American College of Radiology) Small MRI Phantom and a spoiled gradient echo pulse sequence during simultaneous volumetric irradiation. Computer simulations were performed to predict the effects of B0 field perturbations due to PBS irradiation on MR image formation in k-space. Setting the beam transport magnets, horizontal and vertical scanning magnets resulted in a maximum Δfres of 50, 235 and 4 Hz, respectively. The ΔMFH was less than 3 ppm for all measurements. MR images acquired during beam energy variation and vertical beam scanning showed no visual loss in image quality. However, MR images acquired during horizontal beam scanning showed severe coherent ghosting artefacts in phase encoding direction. Both simulated and measured k-space phase maps prove that these artefacts are caused by phase-offsets. This study shows first experimental evidence that simultaneous in-beam MR imaging during proton PBS irradiation is subject to severe loss of image quality in the absence of magnetic decoupling between the PBS and MR system.