Spectroscopic issues in optical polarization of 3He gas for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of human lungs

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of human lungs for diagnostic purposes became possible by using nuclear spin hyperpolarized noble gases, such as ³He. One of the methods to polarize ³He is the Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping (MEOP), which up to now has been performed at low pressure of about 1 mbar and in low magnetic field below 0.1 T (standard conditions). The equilibrium nuclear polarization can reach up to 80%, but it is dramatically reduced during the subsequent gas compression to the atmospheric pressure that is necessary for the lungs examination. Further polarization losses occur during the transportation of the gas to the hospital scanner. It was shown recently that up to 50% polarization can be obtained at elevated pressure exceeding 20 mbar, by using magnetic field higher than 0.1 T (nonstandard conditions). Therefore, following the construction of the low-field MEOP polarizer located in the lab, a dedicated portable unit was developed, which uses the magnetic field of the 1.5 T MR medical scanner and works in the continuous-flow regime. The first in Poland MRI images of human lungs in vivo were obtained on the upgraded to ³He resonance frequency Siemens Sonata medical scanner. An evident improvement in the image quality was achieved when using the new technique. The paper shows how spectroscopic measurements of ³He carried out in various experimental conditions led both to useful practical results and to significant progress in understanding fundamental processes taking place during MEOP.     

A system for low field imaging of laser-polarized noble gas

We describe a device for performing MRI with laser-polarized noble gas at low magnetic fields (<50 G). The system is robust, portable, inexpensive, and provides gas-phase imaging resolution comparable to that of high field clinical instruments. At 20.6 G, we have imaged laser-polarized (3)He (Larmor frequency of 67 kHz) in both sealed glass cells and excised rat lungs, using approximately 0.1 G/cm gradients to achieve approximately 1 mm(2) resolution. In addition, we measured (3)He T(2)(*) times greater than 100 ms in excised rat lungs, which is roughly 20 times longer than typical values observed at high ( approximately 2 T) fields. We include a discussion of the practical considerations for working at low magnetic fields and conclude with evidence of radiation damping in this system.     

On concomitant gradients in low-field MRI

Growing interest in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultra-low magnetic fields (ULF, approximately muT fields) has been motivated by several advantages over its counterparts at higher magnetic fields. These include narrow line widths, the possibility of novel imaging schemes, reduced imaging artifacts from susceptibility variations within a sample, and reduced system cost and complexity. In addition, ULF NMR/MRI with superconducting quantum interference devices is compatible with simultaneous measurements of biomagnetic signals, a capability conventional systems cannot offer. Acquisition of MRI at ULF must, however, account for concomitant gradients that would otherwise result in severe image distortions. In this paper, we introduce the general theoretical framework that describes concomitant gradients, explain why such gradients are more problematic at low field, and present possible approaches to correct for these unavoidable gradients in the context of a non-slice-selective MRI protocol.     

Theory of MRI in the presence of zero to low magnetic fields and tensor imaging field gradients

Today, all commonly practiced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction methods assume that the magnetic field created by the gradient coils is everywhere truncated by a dominant static uniform magnetic field. However, with the advent of SQUID detected MRI at microtesla fields, the opposite limit attracts attention, i.e., image formation in the unperturbed tensor field of the gradient coils. Here, we show by numerical simulations that, in principle, it is possible to reconstruct the image of an object in the absence of a uniform static field, working with the same gradient field setup as used in conventional MRI. Our calculations show that this approach could increase the image resolution limit attainable at low fields with a minimal incorporation of additional hardware and pulse sequences.     

Perturbations of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling by powerful VLF emissions from ground-based transmitters

The characteristics of the plasma-wave disturbances stimulated in the near-Earth plasma by powerful VLF radiation from ground-based transmitters are investigated. Radio communication VLF transmitters of about 1 MW in power are shown to produce artificial plasma-wave channels (density ducts) in the near-Earth space that originate in the lower ionosphere above the disturbing emission source and extend through the entire ionosphere and magnetosphere of the Earth along the magnetic field lines. Measurements with the onboard equipment of the DEMETER satellite have revealed that under the action of emission from the NWC transmitter, which is one of the most powerful VLF radio transmitters, the generation of quasi-electrostatic (plasma) waves is observed on most of the satellite trajectory along the disturbed magnetic flux tube. This may probably be indicative of stimulated emission of a magnetospheric maser.     

An open-access, very-low-field MRI system for posture-dependent 3He human lung imaging

We describe the design and operation of an open-access, very-low-field, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for in vivo hyperpolarized ³He imaging of the human lungs. This system permits the study of lung function in both horizontal and upright postures, a capability with important implications in pulmonary physiology and clinical medicine, including asthma and obesity. The imager uses a bi-planar B₀ coil design that produces an optimized 65 G (6.5 mT) magnetic field for ³He MRI at 210 kHz. Three sets of bi-planar coils produce the x, y, and z magnetic field gradients while providing a 79-cm inter-coil gap for the imaging subject. We use solenoidal Q-spoiled RF coils for operation at low frequencies, and are able to exploit insignificant sample loading to allow for pre-tuning/matching schemes and for accurate pre-calibration of flip angles. We obtain sufficient SNR to acquire 2D ³He images with up to 2.8 mm resolution, and present initial 2D and 3D ³He images of human lungs in both supine and upright orientations. ¹H MRI can also be performed for diagnostic and calibration reasons.     

Separation of physiological very low frequency fluctuation from aliasing by switched sampling interval fMRI scans

Anesthetized children have dominant blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal sources presenting high-power fluctuations at very low frequencies (VLF <0.05 Hz). Aliasing of frequencies higher than critically sampled has been regarded as one probable origin of the VLF fluctuations. Aliased signal frequencies change when the sampling rate of the data is altered. In this study, the aliasing of VLF BOLD signal fluctuation was analysed by switching the repetition time (TR) of magnetic resonance (MR) images. Eleven anesthetized children were imaged at 1.5 T using TRs of 500 and 1200 ms. The BOLD signal sources were separated with independent component analysis (ICA). Occipital cortex signal sources had nonaliased VLF fluctuation ( approximately 0.03 Hz) in 9 of 11 subjects. Arterial signal sources failed to present stable power peaks at frequencies lower than 0.42 Hz presumably due to aliasing. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-related signal sources showed nonaliased VLF in four subjects. In conclusion, the VLF BOLD signal fluctuation in the occipital cortex is a true physiological fluctuation, not a result of signal aliasing.     

Septal repair implants: evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging safety at 3 T

Specialized implants are used for transcatheter closure of septal defects, including atrial and ventricular septal defects, and patent foramen ovale. These metallic devices may pose a risk to patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures especially if performed at 3 T. Therefore, this investigation evaluated MRI safety at 3 T for septal repair implants (CardioSEAL Septal Repair Implant and STARFlex Septal Repair Implant, NMT Medical, Boston, MA, USA) by characterizing magnetic field interactions, heating and artifacts. These implants exhibited minor magnetic field interactions; heating was not excessive (+0.5°C); and artifacts will only create a problem if the area of interest is in the same area as or near these devices. Thus, the findings indicated that it would be safe for a patient with these implants to undergo MRI at 3 T or lower. Importantly, because of the minor magnetic field interactions, MRI may be performed immediately after implantation.     

基于边界元方法的超导核磁共振成像设备高阶轴向匀场线圈优化算法

在磁共振成像设备中,为了消除目标区域内的高阶谐波磁场分量,传统方法采用无源匀场,但该方法匀场精度较低,针对性较差,适用于全局匀场,而有源匀场则可以通过优化线圈分布来产生所需要的特定的磁场分布.但是,由于匀场线圈线型的复杂度会随着线圈阶数的增加而增加,难以满足设计需要,因此本文提出了一种用于磁共振成像超导匀场线圈系统的多变量非线性优化设计方法.该方法基于边界元方法,将匀场线圈所产生的磁场与目标磁场之间的偏差作为目标函数,线匝间距、线圈半径等作为约束条件,通过非线性优化算法,得到满足设计要求的线圈分布.通过一个中心磁场为0.5 T的开放式双平面磁共振成像超导轴向匀场线圈的设计案例,说明本方法具有计算效率高、灵活性好的特点.     

PRESS-MAG-O: A new facility to probe materials and phenomena under extreme conditions

In the recent years, several experiments performed under high magnetic fields (HMFs), at high pressure (HP) and/or at low temperature (LT) have led to spectacular discoveries in condensed matter. In many new systems, although challenging, it is strategic to perform a magneto-optical analysis, to investigate the phonon behavior in the far infrared (IR) domain. By combining HMF and HP in a wide temperature (T) range to perform concurrently IR magneto-optics and ac-magneto-dynamic experiments, it will be possible to achieve unique information on systems and/or new phenomena, almost impossible to obtain with standard spectroscopic methods. Here we present PRESS-MAG-O, a new facility under construction that will perform HP experiments under HMF in a wide T range. The system is expected to be operational by the end of 2008 and will be tested at SINBAD, the IR synchrotron radiation beamline operational since 2001 at DAΦNE (Double Annular Φ-factory for Nice Experiments), the storage ring of the INFN Frascati National Laboratory (LNF). While for IR experiments an interferometer will be used, for the magneto-dynamic experiments a SQUID magnetometer in the 10 Hz-2 KHz frequency range will be utilized. HP will be applied to samples by a Cu-Be diamond anvil cell (DAC), so that the device will be able to collect FTIR spectra and high harmonic ac susceptibility data in a dc magnetic field up to 8 T and to about 20 GPa in a wide temperature range (4.2-200 K).     

Magnetic resonance imaging at frequencies below 1 kHz

Within the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) community the trend is going to higher and higher magnetic fields, ranging from 1.5 T to 7 T, corresponding to Larmor frequencies of 63.8–298 MHz. Since for high-field MRI the magnetization increases with the applied magnetic field, the signal-to-noise-ratio increases as well, thus enabling higher image resolutions. On the other hand, MRI is possible also at ultra-low magnetic fields, as was shown by different groups. The goal of our development was to reach a Larmor frequency range of the low-field MRI system corresponding to the frequency range of human brain activities ranging from near zero-frequency (near-DC) to over 1 kHz. Here, first 2D MRI images of phantoms taken at Larmor frequencies of 100 Hz and 731 Hz will be shown and discussed. These frequencies are examples of brain activity triggered by electrostimulation of the median nerve. The method will allow the magnetic fields of the brain currents to influence the magnetic resonance image, and thus lead to a direct functional imaging modality of neuronal currents.     

单边磁共振成像仪磁体系统研究

单边磁共振成像（MRI）系统由于其良好的开放性引起了越来越多的关注,这种系统的成像样品区位于磁体外侧,其形状为薄片形,其磁体结构设计是一个全新的问题. 本文基于鞍点理论,探索这种单边磁体在其外侧产生均匀样品区的可行性,通过对几种单边磁体结构磁场特性的研究,指出适当设计的永磁磁体能够在磁体外侧产生鞍点. 最后给出一种符合成像要求的单边永磁MRI磁体结构. 单边MRI磁体结构的可行性分析及磁体结构的成功设计,为开展完全开放式磁共振成像装置的研究打下了坚实的基础.     

MR imaging of oscillatory magnetic field changes: Progressing from phantom to human

Detection of ultra-weak oscillatory magnetic field changes using MRI is of great research interest not only for neuronal current MRI of endogenous neuronal oscillations but also for direct visualization of exogenous transcranial currents or iron oxide contrast agent distribution. In this work, we present a novel oscillatory-selective detection (OSD) method that is magnitude-sensitive to the oscillatory magnetic field changes and immune to the main field inhomogeneity. In OSD, a train of 180° pulses with alternating polarity and mirror symmetry are used to refocus and accumulate magnetization changes induced by external oscillatory fields. After taking both the signal change and image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) into account, a final 90° pulse with a phase offset of 45° is applied to store a combination of the current-induced signal change and background magnetization for the subsequent EPI acquisition. Its performance was demonstrated in phantom and human studies, both of which showed much better detection in the comparison with the recently proposed spin-lock oscillatory excitation (SLOE) method. OSD was further successfully applied in imaging transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) induced field changes in the human brain. These promising results suggest that OSD can overcome the limitation of field inhomogeneity impeding previous oscillatory current MRI sensitivity and be a viable tool in future tACS study.     

斜位电流注入磁共振电阻抗成像（MREIT）与硬件设计

现有的磁共振电阻抗成像(MREIT)方法只适用于主磁场平行水平面的磁共振系统,本文中提出了一种新的MREIT方法即斜位电流注入磁共振电阻抗成像,同时适用于主磁场垂直于水平面的磁共振系统. 硬件系统以磁共振主控计算机为控制中心,将MRI与EIT有机结合于一体：(1)能够测量注入电流在成像体内部感应磁场的磁感应强度B(x,y,z);(2)向成像体注入电流;(3)满足时序匹配要求;(4)测量边界电压. 文章还展示了利用此装置所得的初步实验结果.     

Carboxylated magnetic nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents: Relaxation measurements at different field strengths

At the moment the biomedical applications of magnetic fluids are the subject of intensive scientific interest. In the present work, magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized and stabilized in aqueous medium with different carboxylic compounds (citric acid (CA), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and sodium oleate (NaOA)), in order to prepare well stabilized magnetic fluids (MFs). The magnetic nanoparticles can be used in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as contrast agents. Magnetic resonance relaxation measurements of the above MFs were performed at different field strengths (i.e., 0.47, 1.5 and 9.4 T) to reveal the field strength dependence of their magnetic responses, and to compare them with that of ferucarbotran, a well-known superparamagnetic contrast agent. The measurements showed characteristic differences between the tested magnetic fluids stabilized by carboxylic compounds and ferucarbotran. It is worthy of note that our magnetic fluids have the highest r2 relaxivities at the field strength of 1.5 T, where the most of the MRI works in worldwide.     

高场超导MRI系统铁磁屏蔽的几何优化

磁共振成像（MRI）系统是一种重要的医学影像诊断设备,它根据核磁共振原理对处于静磁场中的人体器官进行成像,具有清晰度高和任意层面成像等优点,在医学检查和诊断方面有着重要的作用,与低场MRI相比,高场MRI系统可提高质子的磁化率,增加图像的信噪比,缩短MRI信号采集时间,从而使脑功能成像的信号变化更为明显;但是较高的背景...     

Hyperpolarized 83Kr MRI of lungs

Hyperpolarized (hp) ⁸³Kr (spin I = 9/2) is a promising gas-phase contrast agent that displays sensitivity to the surface chemistry, surface-to-volume ratio, and surface temperature of the surrounding environment. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates the feasibility of ex vivo hp ⁸³Kr magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lungs using natural abundance krypton gas (11.5% ⁸³Kr) and excised, but otherwise intact, rat lungs located within a custom designed ventilation chamber. Experiments comparing the ⁸³Kr MR signal intensity from lungs to that arising from a balloon with no internal structure inflated to the same volume with krypton gas mixture suggest that most of the observed signal originated from the alveoli and not merely the conducting airways. The ⁸³Kr longitudinal relaxation times in the rat lungs ranged from 0.7 to 3.7 s but were reproducible for a given lung. Although the source of these variations was not explored in this work, hp ⁸³Kr T₁ differences may ultimately lead to a novel form of MRI contrast in lungs. The currently obtained 1200-fold signal enhancement for hp ⁸³Kr at 9.4 T field strength is found to be 180 times below the theoretical upper limit.     

Effect of hyperdiffusivity on turbulent dynamos with helicity

In numerical studies of turbulence, hyperviscosity is often used as a tool to extend the inertial subrange and to reduce the dissipative subrange. By analogy, hyperdiffusivity (or hyperresistivity) is sometimes used in magnetohydrodynamics. The underlying assumption is that only the small scales are affected by this manipulation. In the present paper, possible side effects on the evolution of the large-scale magnetic field are investigated. It is found that for turbulent flows with helicity, hyperdiffusivity causes the dynamo-generated magnetic field to saturate at a higher level than normal diffusivity. This result is successfully interpreted in terms of magnetic helicity conservation, which also predicts that full saturation is reached only after a time comparable to the large-scale magnetic (hyper)diffusion time.     

Human Pulmonary Hyperpolarized ~(129)Xe MRI: a Preliminary Study

We study the feasibility and safety of human lung hyperpolarized(HP)~(129)Xe magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).There is no significant change in physiological parameters before and after the examinations of all subjects.Compared with computed tomography, HP~(129)Xe MRI is sensitive to earlier and smaller ventilation defects. The distribution of the HP~(129)Xe MRI signal reflects the pulmonary compliance with the gravity gradient. This is the first application of HP~(129)Xe MRI ventilation imaging in China, and this technology is expected to provide more useful information for clinical practice.     

Behavioral effects of exposure to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging: II. Spatial memory tests

In order to determine possible effects of exposure to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on cognitive processes, the performance of imaged, sham exposed, and control rats on a spatial memory task was examined. This particular task was chosen because, under some conditions, animals use the magnetic field as a compass when navigating. The rats were required to collect food from eight different locations before returning to an already chosen location. All three groups of rats achieved a high level of performance, and there were no differences between groups in any of the performance measures examined. These results indicate that the MRI procedure has no significant effect on spatial memory processes in rats.