@article {269, title = {Distortion-free magnetic resonance imaging in the zero-field limit}, journal = {Journal of Magnetic Resonance}, volume = {200}, year = {2009}, note = {J Magn Reson526AWTimes Cited:6Cited References Count:29}, month = {Oct}, pages = {285-290}, abstract = {

MRI is a powerful technique for clinical diagnosis and materials characterization. Images are acquired in a homogeneous static magnetic field much higher than the fields generated across the field of view by the spatially encoding field gradients. Without such a high field, the concomitant components of the field gradient dictated by Maxwell\&$\#$39;s equations lead to severe distortions that make imaging impossible with conventional MRI encoding. In this paper, we present a distortion-free image of a phantom acquired with a fundamentally different methodology in which the applied static field approaches zero. Our technique involves encoding with pulses of uniform and gradient field, and acquiring the magnetic field signals with a SQUID. The method can be extended to weak ambient fields, potentially enabling imaging in the Earth\&$\#$39;s field without cancellation coils or shielding. Other potential applications include quantum information processing and fundamental studies of long-range ferromagnetic interactions. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {gradients}, isbn = {1090-7807}, doi = {Doi 10.1016/J.Jmr.2009.07.016}, url = {://WOS:000272260900015}, author = {Kelso, N. and Lee, S. K. and Bouchard, L. S. and Demas, V. and M{\"u}ck, M. and Pines, A. and Clarke, J.} } @article {298, title = {SQUID-detected microtesla MRI in the presence of metal}, journal = {Journal of Magnetic Resonance}, volume = {179}, year = {2006}, note = {J Magn Reson035CMTimes Cited:36Cited References Count:23}, month = {Mar}, pages = {146-151}, abstract = {

In magnetic resonance imaging performed at fields of I T and above, the presence of a metal insert can distort the image because of susceptibility differences within the sample and modification of the radiofrequency fields by screening currents. Furthermore, it is not feasible to perform nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or acquire a magnetic resonance image if the sample is enclosed in a metal container. Both problems can be overcome by substantially lowering the NMR frequency. Using a microtesla imaging system operating at 2.8 kHz, with a superconducting quantum interference device as the signal detector, we have obtained distortion-free images of a phantom containing a titanium bar and three-dimensional images of an object enclosed in an aluminum can; in both cases high-field images are inaccessible. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {nmr}, isbn = {1090-7807}, doi = {Doi 10.1016/J.Jmr.2005.11.005}, url = {://WOS:000236977600019}, author = {Mossle, M. and Han, S. I. and Myers, W. R. and Lee, S. K. and Kelso, N. and Hatridge, M. and Pines, A. and Clarke, J.} } @article {309, title = {SQUID-detected in vivo MRI at microtesla magnetic fields}, journal = {Ieee Transactions on Applied Superconductivity}, volume = {15}, year = {2005}, note = {Ieee T Appl SuperconPart 1935FOTimes Cited:24Cited References Count:15}, month = {Jun}, pages = {757-760}, abstract = {

We use a low transition temperature (T(c)) Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) to perform in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at magnetic fields around 100 microtesla, corresponding to proton Larmor frequencies of about 5 kHz. In such low fields, broadening of the nuclear magnetic resonance lines due to inhomogeneous magnetic fields and susceptibility variations of the sample are minimized, enabling us to obtain high quality images. To reduce environmental noise the signal is detected by a second-order gradiometer, coupled to the SQUID, and the experiment is surrounded by a 3-mm thick Al shield. To increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), we prepolarize the samples in a field up to 100 mT. Three-dimensional images are acquired in less than 6 minutes with a standard spin-echo phase-encoding sequence. Using encoding gradients of similar to 100 mu T/m we obtain three-dimensional images of bell peppers with a resolution of 2 x 2 x 8 mm(3). Our system is ideally suited to acquiring images of small, peripheral parts of the human body such as hands and arms. In vivo images of an arm, acquired at 132 mu T, show 24-mm sections of the forearm with a resolution of 3 x 3 mm(2). and a SNR of 10. We discuss possible applications of MRI at these low magnetic fields.

}, keywords = {nmr}, isbn = {1051-8223}, doi = {Doi 10.1109/Tasc.2005.850043}, url = {://WOS:000229765300170}, author = {Mossle, M. and Myers, W. R. and Lee, S. K. and Kelso, N. and Hatridge, M. and Pines, A. and Clarke, J.} } @article {314, title = {SQUID-detected MRI at 132 mu T with T(1)-weighted contrast established at 10 mu T-300 mT}, journal = {Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}, volume = {53}, year = {2005}, note = {Magn Reson Med888NETimes Cited:73Cited References Count:20}, month = {Jan}, pages = {9-14}, abstract = {

T(1)-weighted contrast MRI with prepolarization was detected with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). A spin evolution period in a variable field between prepolarization and detection enabled the measurement of T(1) in fields between 1.7 muT and 300 mT; T, dispersion curves of agarose gel samples over five decades in frequency were obtained. SQUID detection at 5.6 kHz drastically reduces the field homogeneity requirements compared to conventional field-cycling methods using Faraday coil detection. This allows T(1) dispersion measurements to be easily combined with MRI, so that T(1) in a wide range of fields can be used for tissue contrast. Images of gel phantoms with T(1)-weighted contrast at four different fields between 10 muT and 300 mT demonstrated dramatic contrast enhancement in low fields. A modified inversion recovery technique further enhanced the contrast by selectively suppressing the signal contribution for a specific value of the low-field T(1). Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

}, keywords = {dispersion}, isbn = {0740-3194}, doi = {Doi 10.1002/Mrm.20316}, url = {://WOS:000226380700003}, author = {Lee, S. K. and Mossle, M. and Myers, W. and Kelso, N. and Trabesinger, A. H. and Pines, A. and Clarke, J.} } @article {332, title = {SQUID-detected magnetic resonance imaging in microtesla magnetic fields}, journal = {Journal of Low Temperature Physics}, volume = {135}, year = {2004}, note = {J Low Temp Phys824TWTimes Cited:37Cited References Count:34}, month = {Jun}, pages = {793-821}, abstract = {

We describe studies of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of liquid samples at room temperature in microtesla magnetic fields. The nuclear spins are prepolarized in a strong transient field. The magnetic signals generated by the precessing spins, which range in frequency from tens of Hz to several kHz, are detected by a low-transition temperature dc SQUID (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device) coupled to an untuned, superconducting flux transformer configured as an axial gradiometer. The combination of prepolarization and frequency-independent detector sensitivity results in a high signal-to-noise ratio and high spectral resolution (similar to 1 Hz) even in grossly inhomogeneous magnetic fields. In the NMR experiments, the high spectral resolution enables us to detect the 10-Hz splitting of the spectrum of protons due to their scalar coupling to a P-31 nucleus. Furthermore, the broadband detection scheme combined with a non-resonant field-reversal spin echo allows the simultaneous observation of signals from protons and P-31 nuclei, even though their NMR resonance frequencies differ by a factor of 2.5. We extend our methodology to MRI in microtesla fields, where the high spectral resolution translates into high spatial resolution. We demonstrate two-dimensional images of a mineral oil phantom and slices of peppers, with a spatial resolution of about 1 mm. We also image an intact pepper using slice selection, again with 1-mm, resolution. A further experiments we demonstrate T-1-contrast imaging of a water phantom, some parts of which were doped with a paramagnetic salt to reduce the longitudinal relaxation time T-1. Possible applications of this MRI technique include screening for tumors and integration with existing multichannel SQUID systems for brain imaging.

}, keywords = {mri}, isbn = {0022-2291}, doi = {Doi 10.1023/B:Jolt.0000029519.09286.C5}, url = {://WOS:000221710600023}, author = {McDermott, R. and Kelso, N. and Lee, S. K. and Mossle, M. and M{\"u}ck, M. and Myers, W. and ten Haken, B. and Seton, H. C. and Trabesinger, A. H. and Pines, A. and Clarke, J.} }