Advances in spiral fMRI: A high-resolution dataset.

We present data collected for the research article "Advances in Spiral fMRI: A High-resolution Study with Single-shot Acquisition" (Kasper et al. 2022). All data was acquired on a 7T ultra-high field MR system (Philips Achieva), equipped with a concurrent magnetic field monitoring setup based on 16 NMR probes. For task-based fMRI, a visual quarterfield stimulation paradigm was employed, alongside physiological monitoring via peripheral recordings. This data collection contains different datasets pertaining to different purposes: (1) Measured magnetic field dynamics (k0, spiral k-space trajectories, 2nd order spherical harmonics, concomitant fields) during ultra-high field fMRI sessions from six subjects, as well as concurrent temperature curves of the gradient coil, to explore MR system and subject-induced variability of field fluctuations and assess the impact of potential correction methods. (2) MR Raw Data, i.e., coil and concurrent encoding magnetic field (trajectory) data, of a single subject, as well as nominal spiral gradient waveforms, precomputed B0 and coil sensitivity maps, to enable testing of alternative image reconstruction approaches for spiral fMRI data. (3) Reconstructed image time series of the same subject alongside behavioral and physiological logfiles, to reproduce the fMRI preprocessing and analysis, as well as figures presented in the research article related to this article, using the published analysis code repository. All data is provided in standardized formats for the respective research area. In particular, ISMRMRD (HDF5) is used to store raw coil data and spiral trajectories, as well as measured field dynamics. Likewise, the NIfTI format is used for all imaging data (anatomical MRI and spiral fMRI, B0 and coil sensitivity maps).

Advances in spiral fMRI: A high-resolution study with single-shot acquisition.

Spiral fMRI has been put forward as a viable alternative to rectilinear echo-planar imaging, in particular due to its enhanced average k-space speed and thus high acquisition efficiency. This renders spirals attractive for contemporary fMRI applications that require high spatiotemporal resolution, such as laminar or columnar fMRI. However, in practice, spiral fMRI is typically hampered by its reduced robustness and ensuing blurring artifacts, which arise from imperfections in both static and dynamic magnetic fields. Recently, these limitations have been overcome by the concerted application of an expanded signal model that accounts for such field imperfections, and its inversion by iterative image reconstruction. In the challenging ultra-high field environment of 7 Tesla, where field inhomogeneity effects are aggravated, both multi-shot and single-shot 2D spiral imaging at sub-millimeter resolution was demonstrated with high depiction quality and anatomical congruency. In this work, we further these advances towards a time series application of spiral readouts, namely, single-shot spiral BOLD fMRI at 0.8 mm in-plane resolution. We demonstrate that high-resolution spiral fMRI at 7 T is not only feasible, but delivers both excellent image quality, BOLD sensitivity, and spatial specificity of the activation maps, with little artifactual blurring. Furthermore, we show the versatility of the approach with a combined in/out spiral readout at a more typical resolution (1.5 mm), where the high acquisition efficiency allows to acquire two images per shot for improved sensitivity by echo combination.

T-Hex: Tilted hexagonal grids for rapid 3D imaging.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to devise and demonstrate an encoding strategy for 3D MRI that reconciles high speed with flexible segmentation, uniform k-space density, and benign T2∗ effects. METHODS: Fast sampling of a 3D k-space is typically accomplished by 2D readouts per shot using EPI trains or spiral readouts. Tilted hexagonal (T-Hex) sampling is a way of acquiring more k-space volume per excitation while maintaining uniform sampling density and a smooth T2∗ filter. The k-space volume covered per shot is controlled by the tilting angle. Image reconstruction is performed with a 3D extension of the iterative SENSE approach, incorporating actual field dynamics and static off-resonance. T-Hex imaging is compared with established 3D schemes in terms of speed and noise performance. RESULTS: Tilted hexagonal acquisition is found to achieve greater imaging speed than known alternatives, particularly in combination with spiral trajectories. The interplay of the proposed 3D trajectories, array detection, and off-resonance is successfully addressed by iterative inversion of the full signal model. Enhanced coverage per shot is of greatest utility for high speed in an intermediate resolution regime of 1 to 4 mm. T-Hex EPI combines the benefits of extended coverage per shot with increased robustness against off-resonance effects. CONCLUSION: Sampling of tilted hexagonal grids is a feasible means of gaining 3D imaging speed with near-optimal SNR efficiency and benign depiction properties. It is a particularly promising technique for time-resolved applications such as fMRI.

Publisher Correction: Detector clothes for MRI: A wearable array receiver based on liquid metal in elastic tubes.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Detector clothes for MRI: A wearable array receiver based on liquid metal in elastic tubes.

In modern magnetic resonance imaging, signal detection is performed by dense arrays of radiofrequency resonators. Tight-fitting arrays boost the sensitivity and speed of imaging. However, current devices are rigid and cage-like at the expense of patient comfort. They also constrain posture, limiting the examination of joints. For better ergonomics and versatility, detectors should be flexible, adapt to individual anatomy, and follow posture. Towards this goal, the present work proposes a novel design based on resonators formed by liquid metal in polymer tubes. Textile integration creates lightweight, elastic devices that are worn like pieces of clothing. A liquid-metal array tailored to the human knee is shown to deliver competitive image quality while self-adapting to individual anatomy and adding the ability to image flexion of the joint. Relative to other options for stretchable conductors, liquid metal in elastic tubes stands out by reconciling excellent electrical and mechanical properties with ease of manufacturing.

High-resolution short-T2 MRI using a high-performance gradient.

PURPOSE: To achieve high resolution in imaging of short-T2 materials and tissues by using a high-performance human-sized gradient insert with strength up to 200 mT/m and 100% duty cycle. METHODS: Dedicated short-T2 methodology and hardware are used, such as the pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (PETRA) technique with modulated excitation pulses, optimized radio-frequency hardware, and a high-performance gradient insert. A theoretical analysis of actual spatial resolution and SNR is provided to support the choice of scan parameters and interpretation of the results. Imaging is performed in resolution phantoms, animal specimen, and human volunteers at both conventional and maximum available gradient strengths and compared using image subtraction. RESULTS: Calculations suggest that increasing gradient strength beyond conventional values considerably improves both actual resolution and SNR efficiency in short-T2 imaging. Resolution improvements are confirmed in all investigated samples, in particular 2 mm slots were resolved in a hard-plastic plate with T2 ≈ 10 µs and in vivo musculoskeletal images were acquired at isotropic 200 µm resolution. Expected improvements in signal yield are realized in fine structures benefitting from high resolution but to less extent in regions of low contrast where decay-related blurring leads to signal overlap between neighboring locations. CONCLUSION: Strong gradients with high duty cycle enable short-T2 imaging at unprecedentedly high resolution, holding the potential for improving MRI of, eg, bone, tendon, lung, or teeth. Moreover, it allows direct access of tissues with T2 of tens of microseconds such as myelin or collagen.

An In-Bore Receiver for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

In magnetic resonance imaging, the use of array detection and the number of detector elements have seen a steady increase over the past two decades. As a result, per-channel analog connection via long coaxial cable, as commonly used, poses an increasing challenge in terms of handling, safety, and coupling among cables. This situation is exacerbated when complementary recording of radiofrequency transmission or NMR-based magnetic field sensing further add to channel counts. A generic way of addressing this trend is the transition to digital signal transmission, enabled by digitization and first-level digital processing close to detector coils and sensors in the magnet bore. The foremost challenge that comes with this approach is to achieve high dynamic range, linearity, and phase stability despite interference by strong static, audiofrequency, and radiofrequency fields. The present work reports implementation of a 16-channel in-bore receiver, performing signal digitization and processing with subsequent optical transmission over fiber. Along with descriptions of the system design and construction, performance evaluation is reported. The resulting device is fully MRI compatible providing practically equal performance and signal quality compared to state-of-the-art RF digitizers operating outside the magnet. Its use is demonstrated by examples of head imaging and magnetic field recording.

Gradient Response Harvesting for Continuous System Characterization During MR Sequences.

MRI gradient systems are required to generate magnetic field gradient waveforms with very high fidelity. This is commonly implemented by gradient system calibration and pre-emphasis. However, a number of mechanisms, particularly thermal changes, cause variation in the gradient response over time, which cannot be addressed by calibration approaches. To overcome this limitation, we present a novel method termed gradient response harvesting, where the gradient response is continuously characterized during the course of a normal MR sequence. Snippets of field measurements are repeatedly acquired during an MR sequence, and from these multiple field measurements and the known nominal MR sequence gradients, the gradient response and gradient/field offsets are calculated. The calculation is implemented in a model-based and a model-free variant. The method is demonstrated for EPI with high gradient duty-cycle, where the continuous gradient characterization is used to obtain k-space trajectory estimates that are employed in the subsequent image reconstruction. During the course of the MR sequence, changes in both the envelope and the phase of the gradient response functions were observed, including shifts of mechanical resonances. The gradient response changes were also reflected in the calculated uninterrupted gradient waveforms and thus in the k-space trajectories. Using the updated encoding information in the image reconstruction removed ghosting artifacts, that otherwise impaired the image quality. We introduced the concept of gradient response harvesting and demonstrated its feasibility. The obtained gradient response functions may be used for quality assurance/preventive maintenance, real-time adaptation of gradient pre-emphasis or to calculate uninterrupted gradient field evolutions.

Motion detection with NMR markers using real-time field tracking in the laboratory frame.

PURPOSE: To enhance the utility of motion detection with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) markers by removing the need for sequence-dependent calibration. METHODS: Two sets of NMR markers are used for simultaneous observation of magnetic field dynamics during imaging procedures. A set of stationary markers at known positions in the laboratory frame serves to determine the field evolution in that frame. Concurrent recording from a set of head-mounted markers then permits calculating their lab-frame positions and derived rigid-body motion parameters. The precision and accuracy of this approach are evaluated relative to current calibration-based solutions. Use for prospective motion correction is then demonstrated in high-resolution imaging of long scan duration. RESULTS: Motion detection with real-time field tracking overcomes the need for explicit calibration without compromising precision, which is assessed at 10 to 30 µm. Relative to full conventional calibration, it is found to offer superior robustness against thermal drift. Relative to more economical modes of calibration, it achieves substantially higher accuracy. Prospective motion correction based on real-time field tracking resulted in consistently high image quality even when head motion exceeded the image resolution by one order of magnitude. CONCLUSION: Real-time field tracking enables motion detection with NMR markers without calibration overhead and thus overcomes a key obstacle toward routine use. In addition, it renders this mode of motion tracking more robust against system imperfections.

A Reconfigurable Platform for Magnetic Resonance Data Acquisition and Processing.

Developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the last decades show a trend towards a growing number of array coils and an increasing use of a wide variety of sensors. Associated cabling and safety issues have been addressed by moving data acquisition closer to the coil. However, with the increasing number of radio-frequency (RF) channels and trend towards higher acquisition duty-cycles, the data amount is growing, which poses challenges for throughput and data handling. As it is becoming a limitation, early compression and preprocessing is becoming ever more important. Additionally, sensors deliver diverse data, which require distinct and often low-latency processing for run-time updates of scanner operation. To address these challenges, we propose the transition to reconfigurable hardware with an application tailored assembly of interfaces and real-time processing resources. We present an integrated solution based on a system-on-chip (SoC), which offers sufficient throughput and hardware-based parallel processing power for very challenging applications. It is equipped with fiber-optical modules serving as versatile interfaces for modular systems with in-field operation. We demonstrate the utility of the platform on the example of concurrent imaging and field sensing with hardware-based coil compression and trajectory extraction. The preprocessed data are then used in expanded encoding model based image reconstruction of single-shot and segmented spirals as used in time-series and anatomical imaging respectively.

Automatic Resonance Frequency Retuning of Stretchable Liquid Metal Receive Coil for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Stretchable magnetic resonance (MR) receive coils show shifts in their resonance frequency when stretched. An in-field receiver measures the frequency response of a stretchable coil. The receiver and coil are designed to operate at 128 MHz for a 3T MR scanner. Based on the measured frequency response, we are able to detect the changes of the resonance frequency of the coil. We show a proportional-integral-derivative controller that tracks the changes in resonance frequency and retunes the stretchable coil. The settling time of the control loop is less than 3.8ms. The retuning system reduces the loss in signal-to-noise ratio of phantom images from 1.6 dB to 0.3 dB, when the coil is stretched by 40% and the coil is retuned to 128 MHz.

On the Bending and Stretching of Liquid Metal Receive Coils for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The eGaIn coil on neoprene demonstrated in this paper presents a stretchable radio frequency receive coil for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The coil with dimensions [Formula: see text] is tuned to resonate at 128 MHz for 3 T MRI. We investigate the effect of stretching (up to 40% strain) and bending (50 mm radius of curvature) of the coil on the coil's resistance and resonance frequency. Measurements and simulations show a decrease in resonance frequency of 2.5 MHz per 10% strain. The higher resistivity of liquid metal compared to copper reduces the SNR of MRI scans by 34%; therefore, a tradeoff between flexibility and performance remains. Nevertheless, we have successfully performed MRI scans with the liquid metal coil.

A high-performance gradient insert for rapid and short-T2 imaging at full duty cycle.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to devise a gradient system for MRI in humans that reconciles cutting-edge gradient strength with rapid switching and brings up the duty cycle to 100% at full continuous amplitude. Aiming to advance neuroimaging and short-T2 techniques, the hardware design focused on the head and the extremities as target anatomies. METHODS: A boundary element method with minimization of power dissipation and stored magnetic energy was used to design anatomy-targeted gradient coils with maximally relaxed geometry constraints. The design relies on hollow conductors for high-performance cooling and split coils to enable dual-mode gradient amplifier operation. With this approach, strength and slew rate specifications of either 100 mT/m with 1200 mT/m/ms or 200 mT/m with 600 mT/m/ms were reached at 100% duty cycle, assuming a standard gradient amplifier and cooling unit. RESULTS: After manufacturing, the specified values for maximum gradient strength, maximum switching rate, and field geometry were verified experimentally. In temperature measurements, maximum local values of 63°C were observed, confirming that the device can be operated continuously at full amplitude. Testing for peripheral nerve stimulation showed nearly unrestricted applicability in humans at full gradient performance. In measurements of acoustic noise, a maximum average sound pressure level of 132 dB(A) was determined. In vivo capability was demonstrated by head and knee imaging. Full gradient performance was employed with echo planar and zero echo time readouts. CONCLUSION: Combining extreme gradient strength and switching speed without duty cycle limitations, the described system offers unprecedented options for rapid and short-T2 imaging. Magn Reson Med 79:3256-3266, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Multi-Rate Acquisition for Dead Time Reduction in Magnetic Resonance Receivers: Application to Imaging With Zero Echo Time.

For magnetic resonance imaging of tissues with very short transverse relaxation times, radio-frequency excitation must be immediately followed by data acquisition with fast spatial encoding. In zero-echo-time (ZTE) imaging, excitation is performed while the readout gradient is already on, causing data loss due to an initial dead time. One major dead time contribution is the settling time of the filters involved in signal down-conversion. In this paper, a multi-rate acquisition scheme is proposed to minimize dead time due to filtering. Short filters and high output bandwidth are used initially to minimize settling time. With increasing time since the signal onset, longer filters with better frequency selectivity enable stronger signal decimation. In this way, significant dead time reduction is accomplished at only a slight increase in the overall amount of output data. Multi-rate acquisition was implemented with a two-stage filter cascade in a digital receiver based on a field-programmable gate array. In ZTE imaging in a phantom and in vivo, dead time reduction by multi-rate acquisition is shown to improve image quality and expand the feasible bandwidth while increasing the amount of data collected by only a few percent.

Adsorbed Eutectic GaIn Structures on a Neoprene Foam for Stretchable MRI Coils.

Stretchable conductors based on eutectic gallium-indium (eGaIn) alloy are patterned on a polychloroprene substrate (neoprene foam) using stencil printing. By tuning the amount of eGaIn on the neoprene substrate, different strain-sensitivity of electrical resistance is achieved. Conductors with a layer of eGaIn, which adsorbs to the walls of 60-100 µm wide neoprene cells, change their electrical resistance for 5% at 100% strain. When the amount of eGaIn is increased, the cells are filled with eGaIn and the strain-sensitivity of the electrical resistance rises to 300% at 100% strain. The developed conductors are patterned as stretchable on-body coils for receiving magnetic signals in a clinical magnetic resonance imaging setup. First images with a stretchable coil are acquired on an orange and compared to the images that are recorded using a rigid copper coil of the same size.

A Fully Integrated Dual-Channel On-Coil CMOS Receiver for Array Coils in 1.5-10.5 T MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is among the most important medical imaging modalities. Coil arrays and receivers with high channel counts (16 and more) have to be deployed to obtain the image quality and acquisition speed required by modern clinical protocols. In this paper, we report the theoretical analysis, the system-level design, and the circuit implementation of the first receiver IC (RXIC) for clinical MRI fully integrated in a modern CMOS technology. The dual-channel RXIC sits directly on the sensor coil, thus eliminating any RF cable otherwise required to transport the information out of the magnetic field. The first stage LNA was implemented using a noise-canceling architecture providing a highly reflective input used to decouple the individual channels of the array. Digitization is performed directly on-chip at base-band by means of a delta-sigma modulator, allowing the subsequent optical transmission of data. The presented receiver, implemented in a CMOS technology, is compatible with MRI scanners up to . It reaches sub- noise figure for MRI units and features a dynamic range up to at a power consumption below per channel, with an area occupation of . Mounted on a small-sized printed circuit board (PCB), the receiver IC has been employed in a commercial MRI scanner to acquire in-vivo images matching the quality of traditional systems, demonstrating the first step toward multichannel wearable MRI array coils.

Symmetrically biased T/R switches for NMR and MRI with microsecond dead time.

For direct NMR detection and imaging of compounds with very short coherence life times the dead time between radio-frequency (RF) pulse and reception of the free induction decay (FID) is a major limiting factor. It is typically dominated by the transient and recovery times of currently available transmit-receive (T/R) switches and amplification chains. A novel PIN diode-based T/R switch topology is introduced allowing for fast switching by high bias transient currents but nevertheless producing a very low video leakage signal and insertion loss (0.5dB). The low transient spike level in conjunction with the high isolation (75dB) prevent saturation of the preamplifier entirely which consequently does not require time for recovery. Switching between transmission and reception is demonstrated within less than 1µs in bench tests as well as in acquisitions of FIDs and zero echo time (ZTE) images with bandwidths up to 500kHz at 7T. Thereby the 2kW switch exhibited a rise-time of 350ns (10-99%) producing however a total video leakage of below 20mV peak-to-peak and less than -89dBm in-band. The achieved switching time renders the RF pulse itself the dominant contribution to the dead time in which a coherence cannot be observed, thus making pulsed NMR experiments almost time-optimal even for compounds with very short signal life times.

A wearable bluetooth LE sensor for patient monitoring during MRI scans.

This paper presents a working prototype of a wearable patient monitoring device capable of recording the heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, surface temperature and humidity during an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiment. The measured values are transmitted via Bluetooth low energy (LE) and displayed in real time on a smartphone on the outside of the MRI room. During 7 MRI image acquisitions of at least 1 min and a total duration of 25 min no Bluetooth data packets were lost. The raw measurements of the light intensity for the photoplethysmogram based heart rate measurement shows an increased noise floor by 50LSB (least significant bit) during the MRI operation, whereas the temperature and humidity readings are unaffected. The device itself creates a magnetic resonance (MR) signal loss with a radius of 14 mm around the device surface and shows no significant increase in image noise of an acquired MRI image due to its radio frequency activity. This enables continuous and unobtrusive patient monitoring during MRI scans.