Extending the clinical reach of MRI scanning through innovative low-field engineering and hyperpolarised xenon technology

医院中使用的大多数磁共振成像（MRI）扫描仪在1.5T或3 T的磁场强度下工作。用于高级成像应用的研究扫描仪可以具有7 T或更高的磁场。然而，这些“高场”成像系统的构建、安装和运行成本与磁场强度成比例。这限制了MRI作为一种多功能和临床有用的成像方式的可访问性和范围。GE Healthcare（GEHC）凭借其AIRTM Recon DL产品率先在人工智能方面取得的高质量图像重建技术进步，以及射频线圈和扫描仪系统工程开发，为重新审视“低场”MRI（例如0.5T）提供了有力的理由。与此同时，新技术--如谢菲尔德大学（UoS）首创的肺部超极化129氚气体MRI--通过提供其他成像方式无法可视化的生理信息，有望帮助最大限度地提高低场MRI的临床相关性。特别是肺部MRI是一个快速发展的领域，将在低场实现效益;最近的COVID大流行突出了对更敏感的肺部成像技术的真实的和当前的临床需求。EPSRC的繁荣伙伴关系将通过利用双方优势的协同研究计划将UoS和GEHC之间长达12年的强大合作推向新的水平。我们的计划将集中在两个主要主题：（i）硬件和软件的开发和集成，以实现临床有用的肺部MRI在NHS的最常见的“高场”系统。(ii)研究低场MRI物理和工程，以及开发硬件和软件以展示低场高质量成像。这些主题的工作计划分为几个工作包，每个工作包将由来自UoS或GEHC的专业专家团队领导，他们的专业知识与特定的研究目标相匹配。此外，该合作伙伴关系将支持四名博士生（其中三名是GEHC工作人员）开展独特的行业-学术界共同监督的博士课程，并提供与我们的主要研究目标截然不同但高度互补的示范项目。

Most magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners used in hospitals operate at a magnetic field strength of either 1.5T or 3T. Research scanners used for advanced imaging applications can have a magnetic field of 7T or higher. However, the build, installation and running costs of these "high field" imaging systems scales with the magnetic field strength. This limits the accessibility and reach of MRI as a versatile and clinically-useful imaging modality. Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence for high-quality image reconstruction pioneered by GE Healthcare (GEHC) with their AIRTM Recon DL product, alongside radiofrequency coil and scanner system engineering developments, make a strong case to revisit "low-field" MRI; e.g. 0.5T. In parallel, novel technologies - such as hyperpolarised 129Xe gas MRI for the lungs pioneered at the University of Sheffield (UoS) - are poised to help maximise the clinical relevance of low-field MRI by providing information on physiology that cannot be visualised by other imaging modalities. In particular, lung MRI is a field of rapid development that will realise benefits at low field; the recent COVID pandemic has highlighted the real and present clinical need for more sensitive lung imaging technologies.This EPSRC prosperity partnership will take the 12-year strong collaboration between UoS and GEHC to the next level through a synergistic research programme that capitalises on the strengths of both partners. Our programme will focus on two main themes: (i) The development and integration of hardware and software needed to achieve clinically-useful lung MRI on the NHS's most common "high-field" systems. (ii) Research into low-field MRI physics and engineering, and the development of hardware and software to demonstrate high-quality imaging at low-field.The work plan for these themes is divided into several work packages, each of which will be led by a team of dedicated experts from either UoS or GEHC with expertise matched to the specific research goals. In addition, this partnership will support four PhD students (three of whom are GEHC staff) to undertake a unique industry-academia co-supervised PhD programme and deliver on demonstrator projects that are distinct yet highly complementary to our main research goals.