MR Microscope for Use in Histology.
Abstract
The long-term goal of this project is to develop a magnetic resonance microscope (MRM) suitable for providing sufficiently rapid assessment of tissue pathology to guide surgery. In this first phase of the project, a feasibility study has been performed. Sensitivity is the key technical issue to developing a practical MRM for clinical applications, so two issues that are crucial to sensitivity have been evaluated: the strength of the polarizing field and the design of the RF coil. The optimal strength of the polarizing field was evaluated based on the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) of a T1 weighted image. For a wide range of relaxation parameters there was a pronounced peak in the CNR at fairly low field. The choice of such a magnetic field would dramatically reduce the cost and size of the final instrument. The performance of HTS and copper RF coils was compared in a 2.0 T MRI system. Even under conditions that were far from ideal, a factor of two improvement in sensitivity was obtained with HTS coils. The results point to a new strategy for providing high contrast and resolution in a relatively inexpensive, compact instrument.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA321911
Entities
People
- G. A. Johnson
- R. S. Withers
- S. E. Hurlston