Development of a Revolutionary MRI System for Functional Brain Imaging - Project Summary/Abstract
It is the dream of researcher's and clinician's to have available a low cost, portable MRI scanner for brain
neuroimaging. However, such a low cost MRI system requires a small bore MRI magnet. Unfortunately, in the
case of conventional MRI systems, small bore magnets have a usable homogeneous magnetic field Diameter
Spherical Volume (DSV) that is much smaller than the size of the human brain. A new MRI approach is
required to achieve the dream of a low cost portable MRI brain scanner.
The general methodology used to obtain MR images today is essentially the same as that used approximately
40 years ago. In the NIH Brain Initiative funded project NIH R24 MH105998-01 - in which University of
Minnesota (CMMR) is the PI, and Wang NMR, Yale University and Harvard University are key participants. -
we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a revolutionary new MRI imaging method called STEREO
which stands for STEering REsonance over the Object. By generating MRI imaging with spatiotemporal
encoding, STEREO allows the Bo field to vary by amounts as large as 200 kHz or +/- 1500 ppm Bpk-pk.
Therefore, STEREO for the first time, makes it possible for a much smaller bore MRI magnet, with an
inherently less homogeneous magnet field, to permit good MRI imaging. In addition, it is possible to observe
brain activity with zero echo time by using the SWIFT imaging technique. Using SWIFT, it is possible to
transmit FM pulses and simultaneous receive signals making MRI neuroimaging an extremely inhomogeneous
magnet possible.
This SBIR proposal intends to exploit the unique imaging technologies demonstrated in our previous NIH
funded project and to build a low cost, commercially viable MRI system with a small, light weight (250 lb.)
magnet with a small bore as small as 34 cm in diameter X 34 cm long (dimensions that are 3 times smaller
than traditional neuroimaging MRI magnets). The magnet will employ the lowest cost superconductor NbTi,
and will be conduction cooled be a small cryo-cooler. There will be no nitrogen and helium required at all.
Therefore it can be operated in any country so long as there is electricity. The magnet will be combined with a
new, low cost, dynamic multi-coil gradient shimming system for Bo field modulation and with a low cost, low
power (50 W) compact simultaneous transmit and receive RF spectrometer system. Successful completion of
this SBIR project will demonstrate a revolutionary, portable, low cost, commercially viable MRI system for brain
neuroimaging. We expect to see in the near future such brain imaging systems available for use everywhere,
and to permit the imaging of brain function in all populations and environments worldwide.
