STTR Phase I: Enhancing MRI performance by using nonlinear metamaterials

这项小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是改善临床磁共振成像（MRI）。该项目将提高图像质量和/或缩短扫描时间，增加吞吐量，并降低这种现代诊断工具的成本。这项技术可能会改善患者接受核磁共振成像的机会。这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）一期项目通过构建非线性超材料（NLMM）增强的表面线圈来提高核磁共振成像（MRI）的信噪比（SNR）。通过理论建模和数值模拟，研究了NLMM与表面线圈之间的耦合，以优化信噪比增强并避免潜在的图像伪影。将通过新型增材制造和传统丝网印刷技术的结合来研究nlmm集成表面线圈的制造和实现，以实现此类设备的大规模生产。随着图像重建算法的同步发展，nlmm增强的表面线圈性能将得到优化，通过考虑nlmm诱导的场梯度来产生改进的MRI图像采集。本项目的最终目标是提供高度集成的nlmm增强表面线圈，以显著提高MRI的信噪比。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to improve clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This project will enable improved image quality and/or shortened scan time, increasing the throughput, and decreasing the cost of this modern diagnostic tool. Potentially, this technology will improve patient access to MRI. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project advances magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by constructing nonlinear metamaterial (NLMM)-enhanced surface coils to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The coupling between the NLMM and the surface coil will be investigated to optimize the SNR enhancement and avoid potential image artifacts through theoretical modeling and numerical simulation. The fabrication and implementation of the NLMM-integrated surface coil will be studied via the marriage of novel additive manufacturing and conventional screen-printing technology for mass production of such devices. The NLMM-enhanced surface coil performance will be optimized with the tandem development of image reconstruction algorithms to generate an improved MRI image acquisition by taking the field gradient induced by the NLMMs into account. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide highly integrated NLMM-enhanced surface coils to significantly improve SNR of MRI.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.