Hemodynamic Effects of Transverse Magnetic Fields on Arterial Blood Flow

While cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a cornerstone of modern diagnostics, its powerful magnetic fields may do more than just image the heart. MRI scanners generate strong magnetic fields to resolve tissue–blood abnormalities with high resolution, but the interaction between these fields and conductive blood flow can induce Lorentz forces within major arteries. As a result, hemodynamic parameters such as flow rate and wall shear stress may be altered. In this study, we propose a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model to investigate the effects of a magnetic field on blood flow in large arteries (e.g., the aorta). The model introduces a coupling between Maxwell’s equations and the pulsatile blood flow within vessels. We investigate the effects of magnetic field intensity, measured in Tesla, on key flow characteristics such as flow rate in the aorta and wall shear stress. This coupling analysis is then integrated with a simplified whole-cardiovascular lumped model using the six-element Windkessel approach. The model consists of proximal and distal compartments connected by a tube representing the aorta. Finally, the model is used to study the effects of moderate-to-high magnetic field intensities on patients with hypertension under physiological conditions.