SBIR Phase II: Incorporating High Dielectric Constant Materials into clinical imaging: A Novel Approach for Accelerating 1.5T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为推进超快速图像采集的磁共振成像（MRI）硬件解决方案提供基础。提议的努力将针对临床MRI扫描仪，那里有有限的MRI访问的大量患者群体。较长的扫描时间降低了放射科流程的效率，并增加了诊所和患者的总体成本。将扫描时间减少一半的成功解决方案将改善患者的就诊和护理，特别是在测量代谢活动、大脑活动和认知方面。这个小企业创新研究二期项目将开发高分辨率MRI，作为了解人类和动物代谢活动的有力工具。高介电常数（HDC）材料在患者和MRI的磁线圈之间提供了一个低阻抗通道。该项目的目标是将MRI的信噪比提高50%以上，从而将扫描时间缩短一半。HDC材料将对动物和人类行为研究产生直接影响，神经科学家正在使用核磁共振成像技术监测大脑活动和认知。集成开发方法包括电磁仿真、陶瓷加工和模体测试。工作原型将在临床MRI扫描仪上进行测试，从而创建一个由原始设备制造商、医院和具有临床经验的研究人员组成的创新生态系统。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 Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide the basis for advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hardware solutions for ultra-fast image acquisition. The proposed effort will target clinical MRI scanners where there is limited MRI access by a large patient population. Long scan times reduce the efficiency of radiology department processes and increase the overall cost to clinics and patients. A successful solution which decreases scan times by half will provide improved patient access and care, especially with regard to measuring metabolic activities, brain activity, and cognition.This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop high resolution MRI as a powerful tool for understanding metabolic activity in humans and animals. High dielectric constant (HDC) materials provide a low impedance pathway between the patient and magnetic coil of the MRI. The goal of this project is to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the MRI by over 50%, thereby cutting the scan time by half. The HDC materials will have an immediate impact on animal and human behavior studies where neuroscientists are using MRI techniques to monitor brain activity and cognition. An integrated development approach includes electromagnetic simulation, ceramic processing, and phantom testing. A working prototype will be tested in clinical MRI scanners thus creating an innovative ecosystem comprised of original equipment manufacturers, hospitals, and researchers with clinical experience.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.