Tanvir Baig

Active-passive gradient shielding for MRI acoustic noise reduction

An important source of MRI acoustic noise—magnet cryostat warm‐bore vibrations caused by eddy‐current‐induced forces—can be mitigated by a passive metal shield mounted on the outside of a vibration‐isolated, vacuum‐enclosed shielded gradient set. Finite‐element (FE) calculations for a z‐gradient indicate that a 2‐mm‐thick Cu layer wrapped on the gradient assembly can decrease mechanical power deposition in the warm bore and reduce warm‐bore acoustic noise production by about 25 dB. Eliminating the conducting warm bore and other magnet parts as significant acoustic noise sources could lead to the development of truly quiet, fully functioning MRI systems with noise levels below 70 dB. Magn Reson Med 53:1013–1017, 2005.

Conduction cooled magnet design for 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T MRI systems

Main magnets for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are largely constructed with low temperature superconducting material. Most commonly used superconductors for these magnets are niobium-titanium (NbTi). Such magnets are operated at 4.2 K by being immersed in a liquid helium bath for long time operation. As the cost of liquid helium has increased threefold in the last decade and the market for MRI systems is on average increasing by more than 7% every year, there is a growing demand for an alternative to liquid helium. Superconductors such as magnesium-diboride (MgB2) and niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) demonstrate superior current carrying quality at higher critical temperatures than 4.2 K. In this article, electromagnetic designs for conduction cooled main magnets over the range of medium field strengths (1.5 T) to ultrahigh field strengths (7.0 T) are presented. These designs are achieved by an improved functional approach coming from a series of developments by the present research group and using properties of the state-of-the-art second generation MgB2 wires and Nb3Sn wires developed by Hyper Tech Research Inc. The MgB2 magnet designs operated at different field strengths demonstrate excellent homogeneity and shielding properties at an operating temperature of 10 K. At ultrahigh field, the high current density on Nb3Sn allowed by the larger magnetic field on wire helps to reduce the superconductor volume in comparison with high field NbTi magnet designs. This allows for a compact magnet design that can operate at a temperature of 8 K. Overall, the designs created show promise in the development of conduction cooled dry magnets that would reduce dependence on helium.

Numerical study on the quench propagation in a 1.5 T MgB2 MRI magnet design with varied wire compositions

To reduce the usage of liquid helium in MRI magnets, magnesium diboride (MgB2), a high temperature superconductor, has been considered for use in a design of conduction cooled MRI magnets. Compared to NbTi wires the normal zone propagation velocity (NZPV) in MgB2 is much slower leading to a higher temperature rise and the necessity of active quench protection. The temperature rise, resistive voltage, and NZPV during a quench in a 1.5 T main magnet design with MgB2 superconducting wire was calculated for a variety of wire compositions. The quench development was modeled using the Douglas–Gunn method to solve the 3D heat equation. It was determined that wires with higher bulk thermal conductivity and lower electrical resistivity reduced the hot-spot temperature rise near the beginning of a quench. These improvements can be accomplished by increasing the copper fraction inside the wire, using a sheath material (such as Glidcop) with a higher thermal conductivity and lower electrical resistivity, and by increasing the thermal conductivity of the wires insulation. The focus of this paper is on the initial stages of quench development, and does not consider the later stages of the quench or magnet protection.

A multiscale and multiphysics model of strain development in a 1.5 T MRI magnet designed with 36 filament composite MgB2 superconducting wire

High temperature superconductors such as MgB2 focus on conduction cooling of electromagnets that eliminates the use of liquid helium. With the recent advances in the strain sustainability of MgB2, a full body 1.5 T conduction cooled magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet shows promise. In this article, a 36 filament MgB2 superconducting wire is considered for a 1.5 T fullbody MRI system and is analyzed in terms of strain development. In order to facilitate analysis, this composite wire is homogenized and the orthotropic wire material properties are employed to solve for strain development using a 2D-axisymmetric finite element analysis (FEA) model of the entire set of MRI magnet. The entire multiscale multiphysics analysis is considered from the wire to the magnet bundles addressing winding, cooling and electromagnetic excitation. The FEA solution is verified with proven analytical equations and acceptable agreement is reported. The results show a maximum mechanical strain development of 0.06% that is within the failure criteria of −0.6% to 0.4% (−0.3% to 0.2% for design) for the 36 filament MgB2 wire. Therefore, the study indicates the safe operation of the conduction cooled MgB2 based MRI magnet as far as strain development is concerned.

Active-Passive Shielding for MRI Acoustic Noise Reduction: Network Analysis

We have modeled the effect of passive copper shielding applied to the outside of an actively shielded, axisymmetric z-gradient coil assembly, with the aim of substantially reducing induced eddy currents in the cryostat inner bore that create acoustic noise. For the purpose of calculation, the cylindrical cryostat inner bore and the passive copper shielding are coaxial and are imagined to be sliced into thin ring sections. Each ring section has a finite thickness and is further divided into several concentric layers. The thin cylindrical sections become elements in an electrical network that includes the actively shielded gradient coil. We calculate eddy currents both for single frequency excitations and for time-dependent excitations by modeling a series of trapezoidal pulses. Our results take into account time dependence, diffusion of eddy currents among cylindrical sections and skin depth effects. Two configurations are analyzed. The first is a thin copper layer wrapped around the outer diameter of the gradient assembly, and the second extends the copper over the ends of the gradient assembly. A 2-mm-thick copper layer around the gradient assembly reduces power deposited in the cryostat inner bore by 13.5 dB for a 1 kHz gradient excitation. Extending the passive shield, for the same 2 mm thickness, to cover the ends of the gradient reduces cryostat inner bore power deposition, by 26.7 dB for the same frequency

Ventilation mapping of chest using Focused Impedance Method (FIM)

Focused Impedance Method (FIM) provides an opportunity for localized impedance measurement down to reasonable depths within the body using surface electrodes, and has a potential application in localized lung ventilation study. This however needs assessment of normal values for healthy individuals. In this study, localized ventilation maps in terms of electrical impedance in a matrix formation around the thorax, both from the front and the back, were obtained from two normal male subjects using a modified configuration of FIM. For this the focused impedance values at full inspiration and full expiration were measured and the percentage difference with respect to the latter was used. Some of the measured values would have artefacts due to movements of the heart and the diaphragm in the relevant anatomical positions which needs to be considered with due care in any interpretation.

A New Instrument Designed to Measure the Magnetic Susceptibility of Human Liver Tissue In Vivo

All existing superconducting instrumentation for measuring the concentration of iron stored in the human liver requires liquid helium for its operation. We report the mathematical modeling, optimization, and instrumental performance of an instrument that uses high-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductors. Requiring only liquid nitrogen to operate, the susceptometer represents the first medical application of the phenomenon of high-temperature superconductivity with the potential for widespread clinical utility.

Thorax mapping for localised lung impedance change using focused impedance measurement (FIM): A pilot study

Abstract Focused impedance measurement (FIM) is a technique where impedance can be measured with the optimum level of localization without much increase in complexity of measuring instrument. The electrodes are applied on the skin surface while the organs inside also contribute to the measurement, as the body is a volume conductor. In a healthy and disease free lung region, the air enters at breathe-in, increases the impedance of the lung, and impedance reduces during breathe-out. In contrast, for a diseased lung, where part of the lungs is filled with water or some fluid, air will not enter into this zone reducing impedance change between inspiration and expiration. With this idea, the current work had been executed to have general view of localized impedance change throughout thorax using 6-electrode FIM. This generated a matrix mapping from both the front and from the back of the thorax, which showed how impedance change due to ventilation varies from frontal plane to back plane of human bodies.

Mechanical Analysis of MgB2 Based Full Body MRI Coils Under Different Winding Conditions

The winding of composite superconducting wire around a mandrel is one of the first stages of manufacturing processes of a superconducting magnet. Depending on the method of mechanical support conditions during winding, the strain development at the final stage in a superconducting magnet may vary significantly. Therefore, proper selection of the winding process is important to increase the feasibility for a conduction cooled full body MRI magnet based on magnesium diboride (MgB2), a strain sensitive high-temperature superconductor. A multiscale multiphysics finite element analysis) model of an 18 filament MgB2 wire is developed for strain estimation. The computationally homogenized representative volume element of the composite wire is used in the coil bundle in place of the actual MgB2 wire. The simulation considers winding, thermal cool-down and electromagnetic charging to estimate total strain developed at the final step—electromagnetic charging. Four different types of support conditions are studied and strain development is reported. Results suggest that a combination of radial and axial support at the inner radial surface and outermost axial surfaces of the mandrel, respectively, is the most favorable winding condition with a minimum strain development of 0.021%, which is half in comparison to no mandrel support.

FOCUSED IMPEDANCE METHOD TO DETECT LOCALIZED LUNG VENTILATION DISORDERS IN COMBINATION WITH CONVENTIONAL SPIROMETRY

Conventional spirometry gives information on the overall ventilation of a persons lung; it cannot detect localized disorders in ventilation as occurring in pulmonary edema, pneumonia, tumor, TB, etc. Here we propose a new technique involving the recently developed focused impedance method (FIM) in combination with conventional spirometry to detect localized lung ventilation disorders. Electrical impedance of lung tissue changes as a function of air content and FIM provides a measurement of localized electrical impedance with sensitivity down to reasonable depths inside the body using a few surface electrodes; here we used a six-electrode version. At least four quadrants of the lungs in the frontal plane can be separately measured using a hand-held probe with spring backed skin surface electrodes. Firstly, spatial sensitivity distribution of the six-electrode FIM was obtained using finite element simulation which verified the focusing effect and its depth sensitivity. Percent change in impedance between maximum inspiration and expiration were measured at four quadrants of the chest of a healthy male subject giving four different values; that at the lower right quadrant was found to be the maximum, as also expected based on anatomy. Changes in impedance at this quadrant of the same subject were found to vary proportionately with exhaled air volumes, measured using a bellows-type spirometer. Similar FIM measurements at lower right lung of seven healthy subjects were found to be almost proportional (R2 = 0.7) to the total exhaled air volumes (vital capacity). This was the basis of the new technique. For a healthy individual, the ratio of the local impedance change to vital capacity (VC) will fall within a certain range for each of the four lung quadrants. A lower value at any quadrant would indicate disorder within that quadrant, while a larger value would indicate disorder in a region outside the particular quadrant. The FIM electrode probe can then be moved to take measurements at the other quadrants to locate the region of disorder. This preliminary study indicates that FIM in combination with conventional spirometry could be used to detect localized ventilation defects.