Christina Louise Sammet1,2, Godwin Ogbole3, and Steffen Sammet4
1Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States, 2Medical Imaging, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States, 3Department of Radiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 4Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
Synopsis
Low-field permanent magnet MR systems will be increasingly
utilized in resource-limited settings due
to their independence from helium and power supply infrastructure.
Optimization of available systems for clinical imaging will greatly improve diagnostics
and lead to unique opportunities to study health concerns in developing
countries. This exhibit summarizes the state-of-the art in permanent
magnet MRI to encourage interest in the improvement
of existing systems and their utilization for
collaborative imaging research in the developing world.Purpose
This educational exhibit will
explore the imaging capabilities and challenges of low-field, permanent magnet
MR imaging technologies increasingly utilized in developing countries (Figure
1). Limited access to helium and the infrastructure necessary to support superconducting
magnets in resource-limited settings has spurred the development of
commercially available, low-field permanent magnet MR systems. As the MR
community dedicates itself to optimizing neuroimaging at ultra-high field, the
challenges of low-field permanent magnet imaging (<0.4T) are infrequently
discussed. The advancement of low-field permanent magnet technology is necessary
to extend magnetic resonance imaging to a large part of the world’s population,
and it can also provide unique opportunities to research health concerns of the
developing world
1,2.
Outline of Content
1.) A review of the technical abilities and limitations of
existing low-field MR systems
• Limitation of the main field (B0)
strength for permanent magnets
• Unique installation challenges
• RF receiver chain design and coil
availability
• Gradient system performance
2.) Available MR pulse sequences for clinical imaging and
research
• Structural imaging capabilities
and example images (Figure 2)
• Functional imaging – what we can
and cannot do
• Contrast agent performance
considerations at low-field
3.) Feasibility of imaging research in resource-limited
settings
• Current state of research
utilizing low-field MRI
• PACS and post-processing in
settings with limited digital infrastructure.
4.) The state of quality control procedure for low-field MR
systems
• The state of accreditation for
low-field systems
• Existence of phantoms for
low-field Quality Control procedures
Summary
Low-field permanent magnet MR systems will be increasingly
utilized in resource-limited settings due
to their independence from helium and power supply infrastructure.
Optimization of available systems for clinical imaging will greatly
improve diagnostics and lead to unique opportunities to study health concerns
in developing countries. This exhibit summarizes the state-of-the art in
permanent
magnet MRI to encourage interest in the improvement
of existing systems and their utilization for
collaborative imaging research in the developing world.
Acknowledgements
This educational exhibit is supported in part by
NIH/NINDS Grant #R25NS080949 and NIH/FIC Grant #R24TW008878.References
1. Ogbole GI, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging: Clinical
experience with an open low-field-strength scanner in a resource challenged
African state. J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2012 May-Aug; 3(2): 137-143.
2. Ogbole GI, et al. Low field MR imaging of sellar and
parasellar lesions: experience in a developing country hospital. Eur J Radiol.
2012 Feb;81(2):e139-46. Epub 2011 Feb 5.