Advancing MRI with an open inhomogeneous B0 magnet

Project Summary/Abstract The aim of this proposal is to enhance the technical development of an open MRI system that can be integrated into an exam table in a doctor's office, allowing MRI scans to be used similarly to ultrasound. This open-low-field MRI is silent and can produce high-quality images of any organ with the patient lying flat on the examination bed or standing for weighted spine or limb imaging with the device wall-mounted. Developing a small-footprint compact and low-cost MRI system allows MRI to be moved from hospitals to doctors' offices, with the impact that MRI could become more accessible to a wider population. This proposal combines developments in MR imaging with non-linear gradients, field-cycling MRI, spatial encoding using RF, and non-Fourier based algebraic reconstruction techniques incorporating parallel imaging. The objective is to enhance the image quality through innovative developments in both spatial encoding and pulse sequences. The preliminary data indicates strong signal, prolonged T2s, and exceptional image quality. Aims 1 and 2 integrate and optimize new encoding developments through novel RF coil designs, stop-motion imaging, and the introduction of gradient encoding to the system. The goal of these studies is to optimize resolution across the targeted volume (24x24x20cm). The proposal also introduces new pulse sequences with an emphasis on fat/water separation and quantification. Aim 3 tests three forms of fat-water contrast manipulation and gathers preliminary data on the effectiveness of this device for assessing fatty liver disease in both lean and obese subjects. Together, these aims will establish the imaging capabilities of the device, which would be a significant step forward on the path to improved accessibility. This proposal is innovative as it combines several proven technologies in novel ways to develop a new class of low-cost MRI devices that operate in inhomogeneous B0 fields.