Introduction
To date, MRI depends on large scanner hardware in which the subject must remain motionless for long periods in a very narrow and enclosed space. This hinders studies on motor behavior and social interactions with other individuals in a natural, upright position. We are part of a joint effort to develop a portable head-only scanner with minimal mobility restrictions. This will be achieved by drastically reducing the magnet’s size so that it covers only the head of the subject.
The Multi-Coil (MC) technique for B0 magnetic field modeling developed in our laboratory is uniquely suited to enable high-order shimming of the expected extreme B0 inhomogeneity of the small-scale magnet and to provide the B0 field modulations needed for MR imaging while maintaining a compact design and minimum power requirements.
The development of the portable head-only scanner is a collaborative effort with the following principle investigators and their lab members:
Michael Garwood (PI), University of Minnesota
John Thomas Vaughan, Columbia University in the City of New York
Robin de Graaf, Yale University
Ben Parkinson, Victoria University of Wellington
Alberto Tannús, University of Sao Paulo
Ramon Gilberto Gonzales, Massachusetts General Hospital
This research is supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number U01EB025153.
Goal
The goal of this research is to develop and construct a Multi-Coil array as part of a compact portable head-only MRI scanner that enables simultaneous B0 shimming and imaging in the presence of high B0 inhomogeneity.
Relevant Publications
Theilenberg S, Shang Y, Ghazouani J, et al. Design and realization of a multi-coil array for B0 field control in a compact 1.5T head-only MRI scanner. Magn Reson Med. 2023; 1- 14. doi: 10.1002/mrm.29692