Realising the potential of open MRI for dynamic studies of human anatomy and function

我们使用磁共振成像(MRI)作为一种强大的非侵入性技术来研究人体解剖学、功能和生理学，例如调查不同的治疗方法是如何起作用并影响不同的人(实验医学和个性化医学)。不幸的是，标准的圆柱孔核磁共振扫描仪迫使人们以受限的仰卧姿势躺着，这会产生几个不幸的后果。最重要的是，对于我们在这里关注的工作，重力和姿势对人体有重大影响，因此强迫人们躺下可能会扰乱生理学研究。然而，除此之外，一些患者根本不能平躺(例如患有慢性阻塞性肺疾病-COPD的患者)。此外，许多患者发现传统的核磁共振扫描仪有幽闭恐惧症，儿童在进行核磁共振扫描时经常需要镇静以阻止他们移动。我们现在有机会克服这些问题，因为最近磁体技术的重大进步使新的“开放式核磁共振”系统得以开发，允许人们在扫描过程中坐、站或躺。开放式扫描仪目前的能力有限，因为它们无法提供传统核磁共振所需的理想磁场。然而，与此同时，MRI数据采集和重建领域正在发生一场革命，它可以克服这些不理想磁场的影响。我们将结合MRI的这两个主要创新，提供开放式MRI的范式转换，使我们能够在动态、自然的身体位置获取结构和功能生物医学信息。在这个项目中，我们将专注于开发新技术，使我们能够充分利用开放式MRI的能力。我们将设计新的射频线圈，用于在磁共振成像过程中收集信号，我们将开发一种方法来监控开放扫描仪中出现的磁场的意外变化，我们将开发收集和重建成像数据的方法，以使我们能够考虑到这些场中的变化，以及对象的运动。我们的目标是以高速获取图像，以便我们能够监测坐着或站着的身体功能，例如足够快地观察胃肠道的运动，或者允许人们在我们想象他们的肺部时自由呼吸。我们将开发通用解决方案来解决开放MRI的挑战，然后使用它们来产生定制的成像方法，以解决一系列特定的生物医学问题，这些问题是因为它们需要开放MRI的优势而被选择的。具体地说，我们将设计解决方案来研究以下情况：-急性呼吸窘迫综合征，例如在病毒感染后，包括柯萨奇病毒19：对一些呼吸系统患者来说，平躺特别困难。-胃瘫：这是一种使人虚弱的情况，它阻止正常的胃排空，但可以通过躺下改变胃排空。-疼痛的膝骨性关节炎：最好站着研究膝关节，但需要快速扫描，因为负重对这些患者来说可能是痛苦的。

We use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as a powerful, non-invasive technique for the study of human anatomy, function and physiology, for instance to investigate how different treatments work and affect different people (experimental medicine and personalised medicine). Unfortunately standard cylindrical-bore MRI scanners force people to lie in a confined, supine position, which has several unfortunate consequences. Most importantly for the work we are focusing on here, gravity and posture have significant effects on the human body, and so forcing people to lie down can confound physiological studies. However beyond this, some patients simply cannot lie flat (for instance those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease -COPD). Furthermore, many patients find the conventional MRI scanners claustrophobic and children often need to be sedated to stop them moving during MRI scanning.We now have the chance to overcome these problems, since a recent major advance in magnet technology has allowed the development of new 'open MRI' systems, allowing people to sit, stand or lie down during scanning. The capabilities of the open scanners are currently limited because they cannot provide the ideal magnetic fields required for traditional MRI. However, in parallel, a revolution is occurring in MRI data acquisition and reconstruction, which can overcome the effects of these imperfect magnetic fields. We will combine these two major innovations in MRI, to provide a paradigm shift in open MRI, allowing us to acquire both structural and functional biomedical information in dynamic, naturalistic body positions.In this project we will focus on developing new technologies that will allow us to exploit the full capabilities of open MRI. We will design new RF coils that we use to collect the signal during MRI, we will develop a method to monitor the unintended variations in the magnetic fields that occur in the open scanner, and we will develop methods of collecting and reconstructing the imaging data to allow us to take account of these variations in field, and also subject motion. Our goal is to acquire images at high speed to allow us to monitor the function of the body in seated or standing positions, for instance fast enough to observe the movement of the gastrointestinal tract, or to allow people to breath freely whilst we image their lungs. We will develop generic solutions to address the challenges of open MRI, and then use them to produce tailored imaging approaches to address a series of specific biomedical questions that have been chosen as they need the advantages of open MRI. Specifically we will design solutions to study the following conditions:- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome for instance after viral infection including COVID19: it is particularly difficult for some respiratory patients to lie flat.- Gastroparesis: this is a debilitating condition which prevents normal stomach emptying, but gastric emptying can be changed by lying down. - Painful knee osteoarthritis: the knee is best studied in a standing position, but rapid scanning is required since weight-bearing can be painful for these patients.