Uni-Logo
You are here: Home › Research › MRI › INUMAC
Document Actions

INUMAC

The project INUMAC (Imaging of Neuro disease Using High Field MR and Contrastophores) is aimed at advancing the frontiers of medical imaging using high field magnetic resonance and novel contrast agents.

Picture of a dual-layer ink-jetted coil Picture of a dual-layer ink-jetted coil 
Inkjetted coil with a kiwi as a sample for imaging Inkjetted coil with a kiwi as a sample for imaging 
MR-picture of a kiwi MR-picture of a kiwi 
Coupled coils Coupled coils 
Decoupled coils Decoupled coils 
Dual-stage LNA Dual-stage LNA 
Integrated dual-stage LNA Integrated dual-stage LNA 
4-channel array for 9.4 T 4-channel array for 9.4 T 
8-channel array for 9.4 T 8-channel array for 9.4 T 
Image of a carrot Image of a carrot 
7-channel array for 3 T 7-channel array for 3 T 

The project group at the IMTEK mainly is focused on the development and manufacturing of massive parallel coil arrays (MPCAs). While receive coils featuring only a small number of coils suffer from long acquisition times and limited resolution, massive parallel coil arrays allow for faster measurements at a better resolution.

Inkjetting of single coils

In our lab, we fabricate low cost receive coils on flexible substrates by ink-jetting conductive ink (Dario Mager, Ute Löffelmann). By using a two layer process, we are able to integrate serial capacitors to minimize wavelength effects at high frequencies. Also refer to Inkjet printing overview

Decoupling of adjacent coils 

As adjacent coils tend to cross-talk, which disturbs the measurement signal, they need to be decoupled. We have developed a new method for decoupling of adjacent coils by introducing a third resonant structure between the coils (see ref. 5). Click on the pictures "Coupled coils" and "Decoupled coils" on the right column for animations.

Development of LNAs

Our partner Fraunhofer IAF develops low noise amplifiers for integration close to the coil elements. A single stage amplifier with 15dB amplifiction and a dual-stage with 30dB are fabricated on small PCBs with single HEMTs. An integrated version of the dual-stage LNA design is in development at the moment.

Demonstrators

Until now a inkjetted coil, a 4- and a 8-channel receive array for 9.4 T was manufactured and successfully tested. For 3 T, we developed a flat 7-channel snowflake-like array from identical hexagonal elements. Here, not only adjacent coils, but also non-neighbouring elements are decoupled. 

References:

 
  1. D. Mager, U. Löffelmann, P. J. Smith, A. Peter, L. Del Tin, and J. G. Korvink, „Can Inkjet Printing produce MRI Coils", ISMRM 2008, Toronto.
  2. D. Mager, U. Löffelmann, P. J. Smith, A. Peter, L. Del Tin, and J. G. Korvink, „Inkjet Printing of Structures for MRI Coils", Digital Fabrication 2008, Pittsburgh, September 2008.
  3. D.Mager, V. Badilita, U. Löffelman, P. J. Smith, and J. G. Korvink, „Micro-MR coil construction by combining metal-on-glass inkjetting and MEMS techniques“, Poster 2961, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  4. D. Mager, U. Löffelman, A. Peter, L. Del Tin, E. Fischer, P. J. Smith, J. Hennig, and J. G. Korvink, „Operational inkjet-printed metal-on-kapton MRI receiver coil“, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  5. R. Aal-Braij, A. Peter, L. Del Tin, and J. G. Korvink, „A novel inter-resonant coil decoupling technique for parallel imaging“, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  6. I. Abu El-Khair, J. Korvink, J. Hennig, and G. Moenich, „The shielding of RF MRI coils using double-sided EMI shield”, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  7. L. Del Tin, A. Peter, and J. G. Korvink, „Implementation of high frequency MRI coil arrays entirely based on design-by-simulation“, Poster 2383, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  8. A. Peter, L. Del Tin, and J. G. Korvink, „A thin-walled, cylindrical 4-channal receive-only coil array suitable for PatLoc imaging at 9.4 T“, Poster 2989, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.
  9. E. Fischer, A. Peter, L. Del Tin, J. Hennig, J. Korvink, and M. Zaitsev, „Implementation of a four-channel phased-array coil for PatLoc imaging“, Poster 2988, ISMRM 2009, Honolulu.

Links

 
Personal tools