Imaging Brain Function in Real World Environments & Populations with Portable MRI

 描述（由申请人提供）：功能磁共振成像（fMRI）在理解人脑方面继续发挥着关键作用。然而，由于不自然的环境和磁体孔空间的限制，目前的功能磁共振成像技术对于研究大脑功能来说还远远不够理想。此外，功能磁共振成像不能对体内有金属植入物的受试者（例如老年人、士兵和退伍军人）或因各种神经和前庭疾病中出现的某些身体残疾而受损的受试者进行。最后，由于其费用和基础设施要求，MRI 主要面向富裕机构，导致受试者抽样存在高度偏差，并且缺乏针对非西方环境和文化的研究。 如今用于获取 MR 图像的一般方法与大约 4 年前使用的方法基本相同。这种方法的一个主要缺点是大脑上可容忍的磁场变化仅限于磁场 B0 的一小部分。为了克服这些限制，人们构思了一种新的 MRI 方法，称为 STEREO，它代表物体上的转向共振。通过使用时空编码生成图像，STEREO 允许 B0 场发生很大的变化，并且第一次使得使用更小、本质上更少的图像成为可能。 均质磁铁。在该项目中，将利用 STEREO 的独特功能来展示便携式、可远程支持的头部 MRI 扫描仪的可行性，以对全球所有人群和环境中的大脑功能进行成像。为了实现这一目标，该项目将开发 STEREO 方法，结合新的多线圈梯度技术和新的 MRI 光谱仪技术，以产生高度不均匀的 B0 的人脑图像。该项目还将对在液氮温度（77 K）下运行的新型 1.5 T 高温超导磁体进行可行性研究，以满足通常无法获得的液氦和/或低温冷却稳定电源的要求。该拨款提案的总体目标是证明这一革命性 MRI 系统成为现实所需的关键新方法和技术的可行性。由来自多个机构和行业的领先专家组成的多学科团队每月举行一次会议 报告和讨论进展情况、提供指导、发现问题并决定纠正行动方案。根据在此过程中获得的经验，我们的新一代 MRI 系统将在这个为期 3 年的项目结束时进行详细说明和设计。该系统将通过我们的下一轮融资进行构建和测试。向神经科学家提供该系统将为在全球范围内的各种条件和受试者群体中研究人脑和人类行为开辟令人兴奋的新领域。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) continues to play a critical role in understanding the human brain. Yet current fMRI technology is far less than ideal for studying brain function due to the unnatural environment and restricting space of the magnet bore. Furthermore, fMRI cannot be performed on subjects who have metallic implants in their body (e.g., the elderly, soldiers and veterans), or who are impaired by certain physical disabilities as occurs in a variety of neurological and vestibular disorders. Finally, due to its expense and infrastructure requirements, MRI's predominant accessibility to wealthier institutions has resulted in a highly biased subject sampling and a shortage of studies in non-western environments and cultures. The general methodology used to obtain MR images today is essentially the same as that used approximately 4 decades ago. One major drawback of such methodology is that the tolerated magnetic field variation over the brain is limited to a small fraction of the magnet's field, B0. To overcome these limitations, a new MRI methodology has been conceived called STEREO, which stands for steering resonance over the object. By generating images with spatiotemporal-encoding, STEREO allows the B0 field to vary by a large amount, and for the first time, makes it possible to use a smaller, inherently less homogeneous magnet. In this project, the unique capabilities of STEREO will be exploited to demonstrate the feasibility of a portable, remotely supportable, head-only MRI scanner to permit imaging brain function in all populations and environments worldwide. To achieve this goal, this project will develop the STEREO methodology, in combination with new multi-coil gradient technology and new MRI spectrometer technology, to produce human brain images in a highly non-uniform B0. This project will also undertake a feasibility study of a new 1.5 T, high temperature superconducting magnet operating at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K), to free the requirements for often unavailable liquid helium and/or a stable power supply for cryo-cooling. The overall objective of this grant proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of critical new methods and technology required for this revolutionary MRI system to become a reality. A multidisciplinary team of leading experts from multiple institutions and industry will meet monthly to report and discuss progress, provide guidance, identify problems and decide corrective courses of action. Based on the experience gained in the process, our new generation MRI system will be specified and designed by the end of this 3-year project. This system will be built and tested with our next round of funding. Making this system available to neuroscientists will open exciting new territories of investigation into the human brain and human behavior, in a wide range of conditions and populations of subjects worldwide.