Multi-echo imaging in highly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

A new pulsed field gradient multi-echo imaging technique to encode position in the phase of every echo generated by a CPMG sequence in the presence of a strongly inhomogeneous static magnetic field is presented. It was applied to improve the sensitivity in an imaging experiment by adding the echo train acquired during the CPMG sequence and to spatially resolve relaxation times of inhomogeneous specimens using single-sided probes. The sequence was implemented in a new bar-magnet MOUSE equipped with a gradient coil system to apply a pulsed magnetic field with a constant gradient along one spatial coordinate. An important reduction by a factor larger than two orders of magnitude in the acquisition time was obtained compared to the previously published single-point imaging technique.     

Magnetic fields associated with a nuclear magnetic resonance medical imaging system

Measurements were made of magnetic and electric field levels in and around a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system undergoing a clinical trial. Magnetic field levels ranged from 0.04 tesla (T) in the imaging volume down to about 0.0006 T at the end of the patient table. The peak radio-frequency magnetic field level was 15 amperes per meter (A/m) in the imaging volume, while the rms value was 4.6 A/m. The specific absorption rate resulting from the radio-frequency magnetic field was calculated to be no more than 0.017 watts per kilogram (W/kg). The radio-frequency electric field was detectable only within a few centimeters of the coil assembly, and does not significantly contribute to the specific absorption rate. These exposure levels were much lower than existing guidelines for clinical NMR procedures.     

Calculation of electric fields induced near metal implants by magnetic resonance imaging switched-gradient magnetic fields

Electric (E) fields induced near metal implants by MRI switched-gradient magnetic fields are calculated by a new equivalent-circuit numerical technique. Induced E-field results are found for a metallic spinal-fusion implant consisting of two thin wires connected to the metallic case of a current generator as well as for its subsections: a bare U-shaped wire, an insulated U-shaped wire, a cut insulated wire, and a generator. The presence of the metallic implants perturbs the E field significantly. Near the ends of the bare U-shaped wire, the E field is 89.7 times larger than in the absence of the wire. The greatest E field concentration occurs near the ends of the cut insulated wire, where the E field is 196.7 times greater than in the absence of the wire. In all cases, the perturbation of the induced E field by the implanted wire is highly localized within a few diameters of the wire.     

Dynamic range of materials for the magneto-optic imaging of magnetic fields

The range of rearrangement of the natural domain structure of epitaxial garnet ferrite films in magnetic fields produced by conventional recording magnetic media was calculated using numerical methods. Maximum and minimum periods of the recording medium signalograms that could be imaged using the fillm domain rearrangement were obtained as functions of the recording medium and film parameters.     

Magneto-optical imaging using a garnet indicator film prepared on glass substrates

We observed the magnetic domains of a magnetic card by using the bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi-YIG; Bi₁Y₂Fe₅O₁₂) thin films as the indicator films. The magnetic domains’ dependence on the preparation conditions of the garnet thin film crystals was visualized by using a magneto-optical microscope. Garnet thin films were fabricated on glass substrates using a metal-organic decomposition method (MOD). We found that bigger Faraday rotation was measured in the better crystallized indicator films. Polycrystalline Bi-YIG thin films were successfully obtained for the annealing temperature of 700 °C and an annealing time of 1 h. The thickness of the film was about 47 nm for a single coating during the MOD process. The Faraday-rotation angle of the films was estimated as −2.47°/μm and the angle was comparable to other synthesis methods, such as the sol-gel and the RF-magnetron sputtering. Using these indicator films, we could image the magnetic domains of magnetic materials.     

Open-channel fluorescence imaging of atoms in high-gradient magnetic fields

A method of imaging distributions of cold atoms under the presence of large trapping-field-induced level shifts is investigated. By utilizing a probe laser tuned to an open transition, the fluorescence yield per atom is largely fixed throughout the trap volume, independent of the trapping field. This enables a reliable conversion of fluorescence images into atomic-density profiles. The method is applied to measure distributions of ⁸⁷Rb atoms in a high-gradient (2.7 kG/cm) magnetic atom guide. We characterize the parameters for which the open-channel imaging method performs best. Results of quantum Monte Carlo simulations verify the underlying assumptions of the method.     

Ictal imaging using functional magnetic resonance

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can now provide maps of human brain function with high spatial and temporal resolution. This noninvasive technique can also map the coritical activation that occurs during focal seizures, as demonstrated here by the results obtained using a conventional 1.5 T clinical MRI system for the investigation of a 4-year-old boy suffering from frequent partial motor seizures of his right side. FLASH images (TE = 60 ms) were acquired every 10 s over a period of 25 min, and activation images derived by subtracting baseline images from images obtained during clinical seizures. Functional MRI revealed sequential activation associated with specific gyri within the left hemisphere with each of five consecutive clinical seizures, and also during a period that was not associated with a detectable clinical seizure. The activated regions included gyri that were structurally abnormal. These results demonstrate (a) that functional MRI can potentially provide new insights into the dynamic events that occur in the epileptic brain and their relationship to brain structure; and (b) that there is the possibility of obtaining similar information in the absence of clinical seizures, suggesting the potential for studies in patients with interictal electrical disturbances.     

Bio-effects of high magnetic fields: a study using a simple animal model.

The desire to do clinical imaging and spectroscopy at magnetic field strengths greater than 2 Tesla (T) necessitates investigation of possible bioeffects at these high fields. A simple T-maze was utilized to evaluate the aversive effects of exposure to three levels of static magnetic field (0, 1.5, and 4 T). The right arm of the maze extended into the center of a 30-cm horizontal bore magnet, while the left arm extended into a mock magnet bore with the same dimensions. The self-shielded design of the magnet reduces the fringe field to zero within 1 m of the bore, placing the start box of the maze outside the 5-G line of the magnet. Each rat performed a total of ten trials at each level of magnetic field strength. A follow-up subset was run at 4 T with the maze reversed. At 0 T, the rats entered the magnet freely. No significant differences from the control were observed at 1.5 T. At 4 T, however, in 97% of the trials the rats would not enter the magnet. In the maze-reversed subset a majority of the rats turned toward the magnet, indicating that they had learned an aversive response from the previous trials at 4 T. However, in only 4 decisions out of 58 did the rats actually enter the magnet. Eighteen decisions to turn around were made at the edge of the magnet in a region of strong field gradients (up to 13 T/m) and a field strength up to 1.75 T.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Organic conductors in high magnetic fields: Model systems for quantum oscillation physics

Even although organic conductors have complicated crystalline structures with low symmetry and large unit cells, band structure calculations predict a multiband quasi-two-dimensional electronic structure yielding a very simple Fermi surface in most cases. Although few puzzling experimental results have been observed, data for numerous compounds are in agreement with calculations, which make them suitable systems for studying magnetic quantum oscillations in networks of orbits connected by magnetic breakdown. The state of the art of these problematics is reviewed.     

Low-field magnetic resonance imaging using multiplicative regularization

In this paper we present a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that is based on multiplicative regularization. Instead of adding a regularizing objective function to a data fidelity term, we multiply by such a regularizing function. By following this approach, no regularization parameter needs to be determined for each new data set that is acquired. Reconstructions are obtained by iteratively updating the images using short-term conjugate gradient-type update formulas and Polak-Ribière update directions. We show that the algorithm can be used as an image reconstruction algorithm and as a denoising algorithm. We illustrate the performance of the algorithm on two-dimensional simulated low-field MR data that is corrupted by noise and on three-dimensional measured data obtained from a low-field MR scanner. Our reconstruction results show that the algorithm effectively suppresses noise and produces accurate reconstructions even for low-field MR signals with a low signal-to-noise ratio.     

Sustained simultaneous high-speed imaging of scalar and velocity fields using a single laser

A high-speed technique that combines planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) detection of biacetyl and particle image velocimetry (PIV) for simultaneous imaging of scalar and velocity fields is demonstrated at a frame rate of 12 kHz for up to 32500 consecutive frames. A single diode-pumped, frequency-tripled Nd-YAG laser was used for excitation. Wavelength-separated recording was achieved for Mie scattering from silicone oil droplets with a CMOS camera and for the red-shifted fluorescence from biacetyl with an image-intensified CMOS camera. Interference between PIV and PLIF tracers was found to be negligible. Cross-talk between PIV and PLIF signals was low and a strategy to completely eliminate it was devised and is discussed. The signal-to-noise ratio is about 9 for single-shot scalar images. Example image sequences were recorded in an atmospheric pressure air jet at Re=2000. PACS 42.62.Fi; 33.50.Dq; 06.30.Gv; 06.60.Jn     

电子成像均匀约束磁场的产生及测试分析

为增加离子与原子碰撞成像系统中探测电子的立体角，设计了一约束电子的复合型亥姆霍兹线圈装置.对复合型亥姆霍兹线圈的磁场分布进行了理论计算和分析，并对制作的复合型亥姆赫兹线圈产生的磁场进行了实验测量，得出磁场的均匀性好于±0.6%. 关键词： 亥姆霍兹线圈 磁场分布 磁场均匀性     

170 nm nuclear magnetic resonance imaging using magnetic resonance force microscopy

We demonstrate one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the semiconductor GaAs with 170 nm slice separation and resolve two regions of reduced nuclear spin polarization density separated by only 500 nm. This was achieved by force detection of the magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM), in combination with optical pumping to increase the nuclear spin polarization. Optical pumping of the GaAs created spin polarization up to 12 times larger than the thermal nuclear spin polarization at 5K and 4T. The experiment was sensitive to sample volumes of 50 microm(3) containing approximately 4 x 10(11)71 Ga/Hz. These results demonstrate the ability of force-detected magnetic resonance to apply magnetic resonance imaging to semiconductor devices and other nanostructures.     

Influence of substitutions on the magnetic anisotropy of Gd-containing magnetooptic iron garnet films

The properties of magnetooptical films of the system (Bi,Gd,Ln)₃(Fe,M)₅O₁₂, where Ln = Lu or La and M = Ga or Al, grown by liquid-phase epitaxy on Nd₃Ga₃O₁₂ substrates oriented along (100), along (110), and close to (111), are investigated by x-ray and ferromagnetic resonance methods. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 113–116 (May 1998)