TR&D 2: Unshackling the Scanners of the Future: From Rigid Control to Flexible Sensor-Rich Navigation

TRD2 Project Summary The broad mission of our Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R) is to bring together collaborative translational research teams for the development of high-impact biomedical imaging technologies, with the ultimate goal of changing day-to-day clinical practice. Technology Research and Development (TRD) Project 2 aims to re-evaluate biomedical imaging hardware in light of rapidly evolving modern capabilities for MRI acquisition and reconstruction. We have leading expertise in the development of novel and state-of-the-art radiofrequency (RF) detectors and transmitters for high-performance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We will continue to develop advanced flexible RF technologies to maximize SNR, especially for low-field imaging and dynamic musculoskeletal imaging applications. We will also explore what clinically valuable information can be collected with additional types of sensors that operate outside of the Larmor frequency range with the goals of complementing clinical MRI data and potentially enabling risk prediction and monitoring without the need for expensive and time-consuming MR scans. Finally, we will develop computational tools for speed and flexibility in safety assurance in standard and novel MR systems. Such tools will enable subject-specific anatomic-based safety assurance as well as evaluation of proposed non-traditional, highly accessible MR systems and novel imaging methods.