MRI-Compatible Cables: Plastic Innovation Enables Safe Brain Stimulation Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Tomography (MRT), also known as Kernspintomographie, is a valuable medical imaging technique used to create high-resolution images of tissues and organs, revealing even small injuries, inflammation, and tumors. The procedure utilizes radio waves and strong magnetic fields, making metallic objects a concern due to potential heating and burns, even if not attracted by the magnetic field.

Advancing Medical Imaging with Innovative Cable Technology

Researchers at Empa’s “Advanced Fibers” laboratory in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in collaboration with TI Solutions AG, have developed a solution to a challenge in combining MRT with other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Specifically, the need for electrodes connected by cables during procedures like electrocardiograms (EKG), electroencephalograms (EEG), or temporal interference stimulation (TI) can cause the cables to heat up and interfere with the MRT image.

The team created electrodes connected to cables primarily made of plastic, rather than traditional copper. These cables utilize bundles of polymer fibers coated with a very thin metallic layer. According to Dirk Hegemann, the goal was to develop a cable with “a very low, but precisely defined metallic conductivity” – enough to transmit signals without interacting with the radio waves used in MRT.

Did You Know? The research project, which led to the development of these MRI-compatible cables, was completed in 2025 as part of an Innosuisse project.

Sven Kühn, a research leader with TI Solutions AG, stated that the “MRIComplead” cables allow medical research partners to visualize the effects of TI in the brain safely and without interference for the first time.

Durability and Scalability

The cables needed to be durable and resistant to corrosion and mechanical stress. Researchers tested around a dozen coatings, ultimately finding a combination of silver and titanium to be the most effective. Silver provides good electrical conductivity, while titanium reduces it to the required level and stabilizes against corrosion. Testing over a year showed minimal change in the cable’s conductivity.

The ultra-thin coating, less than half a micrometer thick, was applied using a process called magnetron sputtering, which is scalable for industrial production. The Empa researchers have already produced around one kilometer of coated fibers.

Expert Insight: The development of these cables represents a significant step toward integrating multiple diagnostic and therapeutic techniques within the MRI environment, potentially leading to more comprehensive and efficient patient care.

TI Solutions AG continues to collaborate with Empa for demonstrations and initial trials, with plans for industrial production if the cables prove successful in these early applications. Niels Kuster, President of TI Solutions AG, highlighted Empa’s efficient support during the initial phase as a key benefit of the partnership.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT)?

Magnetresonanztomographie, also known as Kernspintomographie or MRT, is a medical imaging procedure used to create images of the body’s tissues and organs.

Why are metal objects problematic during an MRT?

Metallic objects can heat up during an MRT, potentially causing burns, even if they are not attracted to the magnetic field.

Who developed the new MRI-compatible cables?

Researchers at Empa’s “Advanced Fibers” laboratory in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in collaboration with TI Solutions AG, developed the new cables.

As these innovative cables move toward potential industrial production, could they unlock new possibilities for combined diagnostic and therapeutic approaches within MRI procedures?