Development of a multimodal ULF-MRI system with a highly sensitive atomic magnetometer

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24240081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical systems
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: KOBAYASHI Tetsuo 京都大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (40175336)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OIDA Takenori 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 助教 (70447910) ; ITO Yosuke 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 助教 (20589189)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-10-31 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 超低磁場 / MRI / 原子磁気センサ / EEG / MEG / 眼球運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated on a multimodal ultra-low field MRI (ULF-MRI) system with optically pumped atomic magnetometers (OPAMs) as magnetic sensors to measure biomagnetic fields and MR signals. First, we carried out theoretical and experimental experiments on a K-Rb hybrid-type OPAM and demonstrate that the hybrid OPAM enabled to increase spatial homogeneity. In addition, we proposed a new method enabling simultaneous multi-location measurements by using the hybrid OPAM. Meanwhile, we proposed a new method for directly detecting magnetic resonance (MR) signals using a module-type OPAM in ULF-MRI. For the direct detection, we newly designed an actively shielded bias-field tuning coil to match the resonant frequencies between MR signals and OPAM. The results of numerical analyses indicate that actively shielded bias-field tuning coil can be designed to match the resonant frequencies of MR signals indicating its feasibility as an MR sensor toward a multimodal ULF-MRI.

Free Research Field

生体医工学