Cognitive, cardiac, and physiological safety studies in ultra high field magnetic resonance imaging

A systematic analysis of the effect of an 8.0 tesla static magnetic field on physiological and/or cognitive function is presented in the normal volunteer and in the swine. A study of ten human subjects revealed no evidence of detectable changes in body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic pressure, and diastolic blood pressure after 1 hour of exposure. In addition, no cognitive changes were detected. Important ECG changes were noted which were related both to the position of the subject in the magnet and to the absolute strength of the magnetic field. As such, the ECG tracing at 8 tesla was not diagnostically useful. Nonetheless, all subjects exhibited normal ECG readings both before and following exposure to the 8 tesla field. Cardiac function was also examined in detail in the swine. No significant changes in body temperature, heart rate, left ventricular pressure, left ventricular end diastollic pressure, time rate of change of left ventricular pressure, myocardial stiffness index, cardiac output, systolic volume, troponin, and potassium levels could be detected following 3 h of exposure to a field strength of 8.0 tesla. It is concluded that no short term cardiac or cognitive effects are observed following significant exposure to a magnetic field of up to 8.0 tesla.     

Calculation of electric fields induced by body and head motion in high-field MRI

In modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), patients are exposed to strong, nonuniform static magnetic fields outside the central imaging region, in which the movement of the body may be able to induce electric currents in tissues which could be possibly harmful. This paper presents theoretical investigations into the spatial distribution of induced electric fields and currents in the patient when moving into the MRI scanner and also for head motion at various positions in the magnet. The numerical calculations are based on an efficient, quasi-static, finite-difference scheme and an anatomically realistic, full-body, male model. 3D field profiles from an actively shielded 4T magnet system are used and the body model projected through the field profile with a range of velocities. The simulation shows that it possible to induce electric fields/currents near the level of physiological significance under some circumstances and provides insight into the spatial characteristics of the induced fields. The results are extrapolated to very high field strengths and tabulated data shows the expected induced currents and fields with both movement velocity and field strength.     

Pressure and field induced magnetic order in the spin liquid Tb2Ti2O7 as studied by single crystal neutron diffraction

We have studied the spin liquid Tb2Ti2O7 by single crystal neutron diffraction under high pressure up to 2.8 GPa, together with uniaxial stress, down to 0.1 K, in zero and high magnetic fields up to 7 T. In zero magnetic field, a long-range ordered antiferromagnetic structure is induced by pressure. The Néel temperature and ordered magnetic moment can be tuned by the anisotropic pressure component. Under magnetic field, the antiferromagnetic structure transforms into a canted ferromagnetic one at 0.6 T. Spin canting persists even at 7 T. The magnetic phase diagram under pressure shows a strong increase of the Néel temperature with the field.     

Attenuation of morphine-induced analgesia in mice by exposure to magnetic resonance imaging: separate effects of the static, radiofrequency and time-varying magnetic fields

Exposure of adult male mice to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure has been shown to abolish the nocturnal analgesic responses observed following treatment with morphine. The field component(s) responsible for this inhibitory effect were examined by exposing mice to either the static, time-varying or rf magnetic field components associated with an MRI procedure. In the middle of the night portion of their day-night cycle, mice were exposed for 23.2 min to one of the above field components, intraperitoneally injected with morphine sulphate (10 mg/kg) and then exposed to the field conditions for another 23.2 min, after which analgesic responses were determined. Analgesia was quantitated by determining the length of time mice were content to be on a hot surface (50 degrees C) before they showed discomfort by licking their paws. It was observed that the time-varying magnetic field completely abolished, the rf field significantly reduced, while the static field component (0.15 T) had no evident effect on morphine-induced analgesia. These results indicate that the time-varying, and to a lesser extent the rf, fields associated with the MRI procedure inhibit morphine-induced analgesia in mice. These data also raise the possibility that exposure in humans to some of the magnetic field components associated with MRI may have clinically relevant effects on the actions of narcotic drugs such as morphine.     

Determination of blood longitudinal relaxation time (T1) at high magnetic field strengths

In this study, a circulation system was used to measure T(1) values of bovine blood under physiological conditions at field strengths of 4.7, 7 and 9.4 T. Results show that T(1) increases linearly with magnetic field B(0) and can be described with the equation T(1)=129 ms/T B(0)+1167 ms for magnetic field strengths between 1.5 and 9.4 T.     

横向静磁场对电磁悬浮液滴稳定性的影响

在利用电磁悬浮技术实现液滴悬浮的过程中,液滴内部往往存在剧烈对流、外部伴随快速旋转和质心的水平位移等不稳定因素;因此,实现液滴的稳定悬浮是完善电磁悬浮技术的关键.本文采用实验观测的方法,通过U形静磁场组件对液滴所在空间施加横向静磁场,利用高速相机记录了不同磁场强度下纯铜熔融液滴的振荡变形过程;分析了横向静磁场对悬浮铜液滴振荡频率、振幅以及旋转的影响.实验发现:对于熔融前的固态铜颗粒,若静磁场强度超过0.3 T,铜颗粒几乎以静止状态悬浮.熔融后,当施加0.15 T的静磁场,与未加静磁场时相比,液滴俯视图轮廓线拟合出的椭圆分别与x轴和y轴的交点坐标之差R-、椭圆面积A和椭圆长轴长度Dmax的振幅分别减小了25%,76%和60%;随着磁场强度的继续增加,振幅和频率继续减小,但在静磁场强度为0.3 T时,相比静磁场强度为0.2 T,频率增加了1 Hz.横向静磁场还抑制了悬浮铜液滴的旋转,当磁场强度增加到0.53 T时,悬浮液滴只在10?的角度范围内摆动.这些结果表明,施加横向静磁场能够有效提高悬浮液滴的稳定性.     

Cardiac T2 measurements in patients with iron overload: a comparison of imaging parameters and analysis techniques

Measurement of cardiac T2 has emerged as an important tool to noninvasively quantify cardiac iron concentration in order to detect preclinical evidence of toxic levels and titrate chelation therapy. However, there exists variation among practitioners in cardiac T2 measurement methods. This study examines the impact of different imaging parameters and data analysis techniques on the calculated cardiac R2 (1/T2) in patients at risk for cardiac siderosis. The study group consisted of 36 patients with thalassemia syndromes who had undergone clinical magnetic resonance imaging assessment of cardiac siderosis using a standardized protocol and who were selected to yield a broad range of cardiac R2 values. Cardiac R2 measurements were performed on a 1.5-T scanner using an electrocardiogram-gated, segmented, multiecho gradient echo sequence obtained in a single breath-hold. R2 was calculated from the signal intensity versus echo time data in the ventricular septum on a single midventricular short-axis slice. There was good agreement between R2 measured with a blood suppression prepulse (black blood technique) and without (mean difference 6.0 ± 10.7 Hz). The black blood technique had superior within-study reproducibility (R2 mean difference 1.6 ± 8.6 Hz versus 2.7 ± 14.6 Hz) and better interobserver agreement (R2 mean difference 3.4 ± 8.2 Hz versus 8.3 ± 16.5 Hz). With the same minimum echo time, the use of small (1.0 ms) versus large (2.2 ms) echo spacing had minimal impact on cardiac R2 (mean difference 0.3 ± 8.7 Hz). The application of a region-of-interest-based versus a pixel-based data analysis also had little effect on cardiac R2 calculation (mean difference 8.4 ± 6.9 Hz). With black blood images, fitting the signal curve to a monoexponential decay or to a monoexponential decay with a constant offset yielded similar R2 values (mean difference 3.4 ± 8.1 Hz). In conclusion, the addition of a blood suppression prepulse for cardiac R2 measurement yields similar R2 values and improves reproducibility and interobserver agreement. The findings regarding other variations may be helpful in establishing a broadly accepted imaging and analysis technique for cardiac R2 calculation.     

Three-dimensional fluid pressure mapping in porous media using magnetic resonance imaging with gas-filled liposomes

This paper presents and demonstrates a method for using magnetic resonance imaging to measure local pressure of a fluid saturating a porous medium. The method is tested both in a static system of packed silica gel and in saturated sintered glass cylinders experiencing fluid flow. The fluid used contains 3% gas in the form of 3-mum average diameter gas filled 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (C18:0, MW: 790.16) liposomes suspended in 5% glycerol and 0.5% Methyl cellulose with water. Preliminary studies at 2.35 T demonstrate relative magnetic resonance signal changes of 20% per bar in bulk fluid for an echo time T(E)=40 ms, and 6-10% in consolidated porous media for T(E)=10 ms, over the range 0.8-1.8 bar for a spatial resolution of 0.1 mm(3) and a temporal resolution of 30 s. The stability of this solution with relation to applied pressure and methods for improving sensitivity are discussed.     

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.     

Short-term exposure to a 1.5 tesla static magnetic field does not affect somato-sensory-evoked potentials in man

The literature is contradictory regarding the effect of static magnetic fields on the function of the central nervous system of mammals. Since human subjects are exposed to intense static magnetic fields during magnetic resonance imaging, it is important to determine if the static magnetic field adversely affects the nervous system of man. Therefore, somato-sensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited from median nerve stimulation were measured in 11 normal subjects before and during short-term exposure to a 1.5 Tesla static magnetic field. Specially modified instrumentation was used to record SEPs that were unperturbed by the static magnetic field. There were no statistically significant differences in the N20 or P25 latencies or in the amplitude from N20 negative peak to P25 positive peak of the SEPs obtained before compared to those recorded during exposure to the static magnetic field. In addition, there were no changes in the waveforms associated with exposure to the static magnetic field. We conclude that short-term exposure to a 1.5 Tesla static magnetic field does not affect SEPs (i.e., nerve conduction and synaptic transmission were within normal limits) in normal human subjects.     

Magnetic field effect on the static antiferromagnetism of the electron-doped superconductor Pr1-xLaCexCuO4 (x=0.11 and 0.15)

Effects of magnetic fields (applied along the c axis) on static spin correlation were studied for the electron-doped superconductors Pr1-xLaCexCuO4 with x=0.11 (T(c)=25 K) and x=0.15 (T(c)=16 K) by neutron-scattering measurements. In the x=0.11 sample, which is located near the antiferromagnetic (AF) and superconducting phase boundary, a commensurate magnetic order develops below around T(c) at zero field. Upon applying a magnetic field up to 9 T both the magnetic intensity and the onset temperature of the order increase with the maximum field effect at approximately 5 T. In contrast, in the overdoped x=0.15 sample any static AF order is neither observed at zero field nor induced by the field up to 8.5 T. Difference and similarity of the field effect between the hole- and electron-doped high-T(c) cuprates are discussed.     

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.     

Neutron diffraction experiments in diamond and sapphire anvil cells

Diamond anvil cells (DAC) provide the highest static pressures ≥1?Mbar. Because of the low intensity of neutron sources, for a long time it was thought impossible to use DAC or other anvil cells in neutron experiments. We describe pressure cells with diamond and sapphire anvils and neutron instrumentation allowing neutron diffraction experiments to be carried out under pressures as high as 50?GPa, temperatures down to 0.1?K, and applied magnetic fields up to 7.5?T.     

Resonance magnetoplasticity in the EPR scheme under ultralow magnetic fields

Resonance relaxation displacements of dislocations in NaCl crystals exposed to crossed ultralow magnetic fields (static field B = 26–261 μT and radiofrequency field B ～ 3 μT) in the electron paramagnetic resonance scheme are studied. The effect is also observed in the magnetic field of the Earth when crossed with a pulsed pump field with a resonance duration of ～0.5 μs. Changes in the microhardness of crystals of ZnO, triglycine sulfate, and potassium hydrogen phthalate after their exposure to the magnetic field of the Earth and the orthogonally directed pump field are found out.     

脉冲强磁场下的电极化测量系统

多铁性材料是当前物质科学研究的热点,具有重要的科学研究意义和应用前景.低温和强磁场实验环境为研究多铁性材料提供了一种有效途径.脉冲强磁场下的电极化测量系统能实现最高磁场强度60 T、最低温度0.5 K的铁电特性测量.该系统采用热释电方法,具有磁场强度高、控温范围广、转角测量等特点,可用于强磁场下的磁电特性研究.本文介绍了该系统的测量装置和实验原理,并展示了其在多铁性材料研究中的一系列应用,揭示了脉冲强磁场电极化测量系统在磁电特性探索中的重要作用.     

On the response of a gravitational radiation detector to magnetic field fluctuations

An attempt was made to measure the sensitivity of the Maryland gravitational radiation detector to fluctuating magnetic fields with frequencies of 0.1 to 30 Hertz. No response was found for fields along the cylinder axis and normal to it. For some of the tests, the weakest intensity to which any part of the cylinder was exposed exceeded 100 times the intensity of fluctuations of the earth's magnetic field at these frequencies.     

红外探测器TPS434低温、磁场性能研究

以商用高灵敏度红外探测器TPS434为研究对象,测量了其灵敏度随温度(280～10 K)、辐射的调制频率、磁场变化(0～6 T)的相关信息。从实验结果得到：TPS434的灵敏度随着温度降低而降低,随辐射的调制频率增加而衰减,但是低温下的衰减速率变缓,说明探测器的弛豫时间变短;热电堆的温差电动势在低温下会随磁场发生线性变化,可以通过线性拟合扣除磁场对测量结果的影响。由实验所得数据估算等效噪声功率NEP以及最小可检测功率Pmin,对TPS434作为THz探测器的可行性进行了分析。     

Characterization of a ferrofluid-based thermomagnetic pump for microfluidic applications

We experimentally characterize the performance of a miniature thermomagnetic pump, where suitably imposed temperature and magnetic field gradients are used to drive ferrofluid in a 2 mm diameter glass capillary tube, without application of any external pressure gradient. Such a pump can operate in a hermetically sealed micro electromechanical system configuration without any moving part, and is thus capable of handling microfluidic samples with little risk of contamination. In the experiment, the ferrofluid in the capillary is exposed to a magnetic field using a solenoid; a small resistive heater wrapped on the tube wall is used to create temperature gradient in such a way that the Kelvin body force in the medium produces a net unbalanced axial component. This causes a thermomagnetic pumping action, transporting the ferrofluid in the capillary tube from the colder end to the warmer end. Performance of the thermomagnetic pump is investigated experimentally to characterize the pump pressure head and discharge under different working conditions, namely, the magnetic field strength, heating power, and ferrofluid properties. A comparison with two other field actuation pumps at comparable length scales is also presented. The pump produces higher output at lower power supplies and magnetic field compared to the other two pumps.     

稳态强磁场的细胞生物学效应

随着科学技术的发展以及稳态强磁场在医疗诊断中的广泛应用,人们接触到1 T以上稳态强磁场的机会越来越多,稳态强磁场对人体健康的潜在影响也备受关注.虽然目前由于实验条件的限制,稳态强磁场对动物以及人体的研究报道依然有限,但是细胞作为生物体的基本单位,其研究相对较多.然而由于实验中磁场参数、细胞类型等各种因素的不同,使得稳态强磁场对细胞的影响在不同的研究中存在着差异.因此,本文不仅总结和分析了国内外1 T以上稳态强磁场细胞生物学效应的相关研究,包括细胞取向、增殖、微管和纺锤体等,而且对现有研究结果进行比较和概括,并对可能造成实验差异的因素进行分析,例如磁场强度和细胞类型等,从而为下一步研究稳态强磁场下的细胞生物学效应提供基础和依据.     

Theoretical prediction and experimental measurement of the field dependence of the apparent transverse relaxation of hyperpolarized noble gases in lungs

In this work, computer modeling based on a finite element method is used to simulate the T2* relaxation of hyperpolarized noble gases (HNG) in the lungs. A physical model of lung airways consisting of a phantom constructed from micro-capillary fibers of diameters similar to the size of lung airways with semi-permeable walls is also presented. The fibers are surrounded by a liquid medium (water) of magnetic susceptibility similar to lung tissue. Theoretical predictions of the field strength dependence of T2* for 129Xe in the phantom and in vivo rat lung are presented. These predictions are in good agreement with experimental T2* values obtained from the phantoms and in vivo rat lungs (160, 19 and 8 ms) at three different field strengths (0.074, 1.89 and 3T, respectively) using hyperpolarized 129Xe. The strong dependence of T2* on field strength is consistent with the theoretical prediction that low fields may be optimal for HNG MR imaging of the lungs as the decreased T2* at high fields necessitates an increase in bandwidth for conventional MR imaging.