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Novel RF Volume Coils for High and Ultra-High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanners

用于高场和超高场磁共振成像扫描仪的新型射频体积线圈

基本信息

批准号：
1810492
负责人：
Branislav Notaros
金额：
$ 35万
依托单位：
Colorado State University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2018
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2018-09-01 至 2024-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1810492&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Novel RF Volume Coils Ultra

项目摘要

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an established medical diagnostic method and tool widely utilized to obtain high-resolution images of the internal structure of the body or its parts and organs, where atom nuclei of the tissue that is imaged absorb and reemit applied radio-frequency (RF) radiation. This is enabled by RF-excitation magnetic fields generated by so-called RF coils, whose frequency is proportional to the strength of the scanner's magnet, in units of tesla (T). Whereas state-of-the-art clinical MRI scanners are 3-T systems, MRI machines operating at 1.5 T still prevail in hospitals by a very large margin. MRI systems with stronger magnets and higher RF frequencies can provide higher resolution of images, faster exams, and more comfort for patients, among other improvements. However, they require new engineering and design approaches to make them operational, safe, and efficient. The main area of engineering research in advancing MRI scanners is in improving RF coils and fields. This exactly is the area of focus of this research project, aimed at introducing, developing, testing, evaluating, and establishing novel RF exciters and advancing RF coil designs for magnet strengths of 3 T, 4.7 T, 7 T, etc., for both state-of-the-art and next-generation clinical MRI scanners. The proposed research provides a new scientific methodology and engineering technology to solve a very general and challenging problem at the interface between RF and MRI and junction between engineering and science and with immediate applications, and hence it has substantial broader impacts on science and technology. Broader impacts on society are especially warranted by great and growing needs for medical diagnostic tools based on high-resolution imaging of human bodies, organs, and tissues. Education and outreach plan of this project includes enhancing course materials and delivery, advising and training of graduate students, undergraduate research, underrepresented groups, K-12 outreach, and international collaboration.High-field (HF) MRI scanners are referring to the main static magnetic field (generated by magnet) from 3 T to 7 T, while ultra-high field (UHF) is 7 T and above. The proposed approach and novel method for multi-channel excitation of RF magnetic fields is based on subject-loaded multifilar helical-antenna RF volume coils for HF and UHF MRI, to advance RF coil designs at both 3 T (current best, yet to be advanced and broadly adopted at clinics and hospitals) and 7 T (expected next major clinical overhaul in the near future, yet with lots of unknowns and challenges). The novelty of this approach consists of using the inner volume of the helix coil to excite the target sample. Preliminary MRI data obtained in phantoms at 7 T with 4- and 8-channel helix coils demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach, with consistency between experimental results and numerical simulations. Preliminary simulations at 3 T show that the helical-antenna exciter provides better RF-field uniformity and larger field of view than other reported results, with comparable transmit efficiencies. The project will pursue characterization, evaluation, and advancement of multi-channel helix RF coils at 3T and 7 T, respectively. Based on the obtained results, it will develop, optimize, and realize coils for 4.7 T operation, chosen for this proposed research midway between 3 T and 7 T, with RF efficiency, specific absorption rate distribution, and spatial RF-field encoding quantified in phantom experiments and in simulations. Principal goals are to provide improved RF performance while potentially preserving the easiness of use for a volume coverage coil, to determine the potential gains offered by the proposed new coil structures, and to further advance them closer to preclinical medical research and realization for clinical practice on a more global scale.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

磁共振成像(MRI)是一种公认的医学诊断方法和工具，广泛用于获得人体或其部分和器官的内部结构的高分辨率图像，其中被成像组织的原子核吸收和再发射所施加的射频(RF)辐射。这是由所谓的RF线圈产生的RF激励磁场实现的，其频率与扫描仪的磁体强度成正比，单位为特斯拉(T)。虽然最先进的临床核磁共振扫描仪是3-T系统，但在1.5T下运行的核磁共振机在医院仍然以非常大的优势占优势。MRI系统具有更强的磁体和更高的射频频率，可以提供更高的图像分辨率、更快的检查速度和更舒适的患者，以及其他改进。然而，它们需要新的工程和设计方法来使其具有可操作性、安全性和高效性。先进的核磁共振扫描仪的主要工程研究领域是改进射频线圈和磁场。这正是本研究项目的重点领域，旨在为最先进的和下一代临床MRI扫描仪引入、开发、测试、评估和建立新型射频激励器和先进的射频线圈设计，以实现3T、4.7T、7T等磁场强度。建议的研究提供了一种新的科学方法论和工程技术，以解决射频和核磁共振之间以及工程和科学之间的交界处的一个非常普遍和具有挑战性的问题，并立即得到应用，因此它对科学和技术具有重大的更广泛的影响。对基于人体、器官和组织的高分辨率成像的医疗诊断工具的巨大和不断增长的需求尤其需要对社会产生更广泛的影响。该项目的教育和推广计划包括加强课程材料和交付、对研究生的建议和培训、本科生研究、代表不足的群体、K-12推广和国际合作。高场(HF)磁共振扫描仪指的是从3T到7T的主静磁场(由磁铁产生)，而超高场(UHF)是7T及以上。所提出的多通道射频磁场激励的方法和新方法是基于用于高频和超高频MRI的受试者加载的多丝螺旋天线射频体积线圈，以改进3T(目前最好的，但尚未在临床和医院推广和广泛采用)和7T(预期在不久的将来进行下一次重大临床检修，但存在许多未知和挑战)的射频线圈设计。这种方法的新颖之处在于利用螺旋线圈的内部体积来激励目标样品。在具有4通道和8通道螺旋线圈的7T模体中获得的初步MRI数据证实了所提出的方法的可行性，实验结果与数值模拟结果一致。在3T下的初步模拟表明，螺旋天线激励器具有更好的射频场均匀性和更大的视场，与其他报道的结果相比，具有相当的发射效率。该项目将分别在3T和7T下对多通道螺旋射频线圈进行表征、评估和改进。根据获得的结果，它将开发、优化和实现4.7T工作线圈，选择在3T到7T之间进行研究，在体模实验和模拟中量化射频效率、比吸收率分布和空间射频场编码。主要目标是在提供改进的射频性能的同时，潜在地保持卷覆盖线圈的易用性，确定拟议的新线圈结构提供的潜在收益，并进一步推动它们更接近临床前医学研究，并在更全球的范围内实现临床实践。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

期刊论文数量（12）

专著数量（0）

科研奖励数量（0）

会议论文数量（0）

专利数量（0）

Surface Integral Computation for the Higher Order Surface Integral Equation Method of Moments

高阶曲面积分矩方程法的曲面积分计算

DOI：
发表时间：
2019
期刊：
ACES
影响因子：
0
作者：
Manić, S. B.;Notaros, B. M.
通讯作者：
Notaros, B. M.

RF Magnetic Field Profiling with a Dielectric Bore Lining for Traveling Waves in a 3-T MRI Scanner: A Computational Study

在 3-T MRI 扫描仪中使用电介质孔衬里进行行波射频磁场分析：计算研究

DOI：
发表时间：
2020
期刊：
Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society journal
影响因子：
0.7
作者：
Ilic, M. M.;Tonyushkin, A. A.;Athalye, P. S.;Sekeljic, N. J.;Kiruluta, A. J.;Notaros, B. M.
通讯作者：
Notaros, B. M.

Generalized Automatic Surface Reconstruction for CEM Simulations

CEM 模拟的广义自动表面重建