Towards Photoswitchable Contrast Agents for Absolute 3D Temperature MR Imaging.

Temperature can be used as clinical marker for tissue metabolism and the detection of inflammations or tumors. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for monitoring physiological parameters like the temperature noninvasively is steadily increasing. In this study, we present a proof-of-principle study of MRI contrast agents (CA) for absolute and concentration independent temperature imaging. These CAs are based on azoimidazole substituted NiII porphyrins, which can undergo Light-Driven Coordination-Induced Spin State Switching (LD-CISSS) in solution. Monitoring the fast first order kinetic of back isomerisation (cis to trans) with standard clinical MR imaging sequences allows the determination of half-lives, that can be directly translated into absolute temperatures. Different temperature responsive CAs were successfully tested as prototypes in methanol-based gels and created temperature maps of gradient phantoms with high spatial resolution (0.13×0.13×1.1 mm) and low temperature errors (<0.22 °C). The method is sufficiently fast to record the temperature flow from a heat source as a film.

Comparison of two fiber-optical temperature measurement systems in magnetic fields up to 9.4 Tesla.

PURPOSE: Precise temperature measurements in the magnetic field are indispensable for MR safety studies and for temperature calibration during MR-guided thermotherapy. In this work, the interference of two commonly used fiber-optical temperature measurement systems with the static magnetic field B0 was determined. METHODS: Two fiber-optical temperature measurement systems, a GaAs-semiconductor and a phosphorescent phosphor ceramic, were compared for temperature measurements in B0 . The probes and a glass thermometer for reference were placed in an MR-compatible tube phantom within a water bath. Temperature measurements were carried out at three different MR systems covering static magnetic fields up to B0 = 9.4T, and water temperatures were changed between 25°C and 65°C. RESULTS: The GaAs-probe significantly underestimated absolute temperatures by an amount related to the square of B0 . A maximum difference of ΔT = -4.6°C was seen at 9.4T. No systematic temperature difference was found with the phosphor ceramic probe. For both systems, the measurements were not dependent on the orientation of the sensor to B0 . CONCLUSION: Temperature measurements with the phosphor ceramic probe are immune to magnetic fields up to 9.4T, whereas the GaAs-probes either require a recalibration inside the MR system or a correction based on the square of B0.

Direct cerebral and cardiac 17O-MRI at 3 Tesla: initial results at natural abundance.

PURPOSE: To establish direct (17)O-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for metabolic imaging at a clinical field strength of 3 T. METHODS: An experimental setup including a surface coil and transmit/receive switch was constructed. Natural abundance in vivo brain images of a volunteer were acquired with a radial three-dimensional (3D) sequence in the visual cortex and in the heart with electrocardiogram (ECG)-gating. RESULTS: In the brain, a signal-to-noise ratio of 36 was found at a nominal resolution of (5.6 mm)(3), and a transverse relaxation time of T(2)* = (1.9 ± 0.2) ms was obtained. In the heart (17)O images were acquired with a temporal resolution of 200 ms. CONCLUSION: Cerebral and cardiac (17)O-MRI at natural abundance is feasible at 3 T.

An MR-compatible stereoscopic in-room 3D display for MR-guided interventions.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: A commercial three-dimensional (3D) monitor was modified for use inside the scanner room to provide stereoscopic real-time visualization during magnetic resonance (MR)-guided interventions, and tested in a catheter-tracking phantom experiment at 1.5 T. Brightness, uniformity, radio frequency (RF) emissions and MR image interferences were measured. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Due to modifications, the center luminance of the 3D monitor was reduced by 14%, and the addition of a Faraday shield further reduced the remaining luminance by 31%. RF emissions could be effectively shielded; only a minor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) decrease of 4.6% was observed during imaging. During the tracking experiment, the 3D orientation of the catheter and vessel structures in the phantom could be visualized stereoscopically.

7 Tesla compatible in-bore display for functional magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: A liquid crystal display was modified for use inside a 7 T MR magnet. SNR measurements were performed using different imaging sequences with the monitor absent, present, or activated. fMRI with a volunteer was conducted using a visual stimulus. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: SNR was reduced by 3.7%/7.9% in echo planar/fast-spin echo images when the monitor was on which can be explained by the limited shielding of the coated front window (40 dB). In the fMRI experiments, activated regions in the visual cortex were clearly visible. The monitor provided excellent resolution at minor SNR reduction in EPI images, and is thus suitable for fMRI at ultra-high field.

MR safety: simultaneous B0, dΦ/dt, and dB/dt measurements on MR-workers up to 7 T.

OBJECT: The EU directive on safety requirements (2004/40/EC) limits the exposure to time varying magnetic fields to dB /dt=200 mT/s. This action value is not clearly defined as it considers only the temporal change of the magnitude of B. Thus, only the translational motion in the magnet's fringe field is considered and rotations are neglected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A magnetic field probe was constructed to simultaneously record the magnetic flux density B(x, y, z) with a 3-axis Hall sensor and the induced voltage due to movements with a set of three orthogonal coils. Voltages were converted into time-varying magnetic flux d Φ(x, y, z)/dt serving as an exposition parameter for both translations and rotations. To separate the two types of motion, d B/dt was additionally calculated on the basis of the Hall sensor's data. The calibrated probe was attached to the forehead of 8 healthcare workers and 17 MR physicists, and B and dΦ/dt were recorded during standard operating procedures at three different MR systems up to 7 T. RESULTS: The maximum percentage of the translational motion referring the data including both translations and rotations amounts to 32%. During volunteer measurements, maximum exposure values of dΦ/dt=21 mWb/s, dB/dt=1.40 T/s and |B|=2.75 T were found. CONCLUSION: The findings in this work indicate that both translations and rotations in the vicinity of an MR system should be taken into account, and that a single regulatory action level might not be sufficient.