Optimal Bandwidth-Limited Gradient Waveform Design (continued)

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Synaptive Medical is a medical device and software technology company based in Toronto, focused onproviding imaging solutions to enhance neurosurgical procedures. Synaptive Medical is focused onincorporation of novel magnetic resonance imaging technologies into specific neurosurgical procedures tofacilitate tumor detection and resection, guidance of neuro-stimulation devices for degenerative diseases andintervention for stroke and trauma. By increasing the efficiency of MRI experiments, we can reduce the costper diagnosis, and reduce the time spend in the magnet by patients. MRI devices require very flexible software,capable of producing many different types of images, and even quantitative information, like the volume ofblood flowing through an artery.In this project, we will be optimizing one aspect of MRI software called gradient waveforms, which amongother things determine the positioning and resolution of the images. Rather than designing generic waveforms,and accepting that the effective waveform will vary from the design and from machines to machine, wepropose to design waveforms at the highest level of performance available to each specific machine, and insome cases, for each location of the imaging slice within the possible imaging volume. The main problems wewill be avoiding are the distortion of the gradient caused by the limited capabilities of the amplifiers whichdrive current through the specially-shaped conductors called gradient coils, and the unwanted noise caused as aside effect.Under a previous ENGAGE award, we were able to substantially solve this problem for the case ofEcho-Planar Imaging (EPI). During the ENGAGE Plus, we hope to extend those results to Fast Spin Echo(FSE) and Steady-State Free Precession (SSFP) experiments.