Development of BabySQUID for Neonatal Brain Assessment

描述（由申请人提供）：我们提出开发一种新的， 高分辨率脑磁图（MEG）系统，称为BabySQUTD， 评估早产儿和足月儿的神经损伤。这是一 便携式，非侵入性MEG系统，可用于任何床边 新生儿监护病房，没有笨重的磁屏蔽室。系统 将是一个检查表的大小和形状与头枕的形式 一个枕头套。前所未有的空间分辨率和灵敏度， 由紧密间隔的超导阵列（19 x 4通道模块）提供 MEG传感器位于头枕外表面下方2 mm处。有一个 越来越需要开发这种非侵入性的监测工具， 随着越来越多的神经功能受损的婴儿 活下来在第一阶段，我们展示了，正如所提议的那样：（1）我们可以建立一个 4-检测线圈噪声水平低于10 ft/vHz的通道模块 直径为6 mm，（2）我们可以构造厚度为 1.0-1.5 mm，可安全用于BabySQUID（即，保持真空 无破损），以及（3）BabySQUID的灵敏度应该很高 足以清楚地检测诱发皮层活动，而无需信号平均 （基于现有微型SQUID的诱发反应研究， 类似于BabySQUID的一个模块）。在第二阶段，我们将 构建一个原型BabySQUID并评估其在儿童中的性能 新墨西哥州大学的一家医院。BabySQUID的设计是 根据我们在第一阶段的经验进行了优化。的评价 原型将包括：（1）测试它是否可以无噪音运行 电磁非屏蔽临床环境中的问题和（2） 从健康和神经功能受损的新生儿中获取数据， BabySQUTD用于基础和临床研究的潜力。 拟定商业应用： 将在商业化阶段（第三阶段）开发的BabySQUID有望成为一种新的非侵入性神经诊断工具，通过其独特的能力，在真实的时间内检测皮质局灶性区域的电生理功能，而无需信号平均，从而补充EEG，评估新生儿可能的神经功能障碍和大脑发育。

DESCRIPTION (Provided by Applicant): We propose to develop a novel, high-resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG) system, called BabySQUTD, for evaluating neurological impairments of preterm and term babies. This is a portable, non-invasive MEG system that can be used next to the bedside of any neonatal care unit without a cumbersome magnetically shielded room. The system will be the size and shape of an examination table with a headrest in the form of a pillow case. Unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity will be provided by a closely spaced array (19 x 4-channel modules) of superconducting MEG sensors housed 2 mm below the outer surface of the headrest. There is an increasing need to develop this type of non-invasive tools for monitoring functions of human infants as more and more neurologically impaired infants survive today. During Phase I, we showed, as proposed, that: (1) we can build a 4-channel module with a noise level less than 10 ft/vHz for detection coils with a diameter of 6 mm, (2) we can construct a headrest with a thickness of 1.0-1.5 mm that is safe to use for the BabySQUID (i.e., that holds the vacuum without breakage), and (3) the sensitivity of the BabySQUID should be high enough to clearly detect evoked cortical activity without signal averaging (based on an evoked response study with the existing micro SQUID which is similar to one module of the BabySQUID). During this Phase II, we will construct a prototype BabySQUID and evaluate its performance in a children's hospital at the University of New Mexico. The design of the BabySQUID is optimized based on our experience during Phase I. The evaluation of the prototype will consist of: (1) testing whether it can operate without noise problems in an electromagnetically unshielded clinical setting and (2) obtaining data from healthy and neurologically impaired neonates to assess potentials of the BabySQUTD for basic and clinical research. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The BabySQUID to be developed during the commercialization stage (Phase III) is expected to become a new non-invasive neurodiagnostic tool complementing EEG in assessing possible neurological disfunctions and brain development in neonates through its unique capability to detect electrophysiological functions in focal areas of the cortex in real time without signal averaging.