Rotatable Low-Field MRI Magnet for Portable Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-field MRI systems are costly, large, and limited in availability due to high power consumption, space requirements, and specialized facilities needed, making them impractical for widespread clinical use.
Innovation Solution
Development of low-field magnetic resonance imaging systems with a B0 magnet producing a field strength of less than 0.2 Tesla, using permanent magnets and reduced power consumption, allowing for a portable and cost-effective MRI system that can operate from a standard electrical outlet, facilitating deployment in various environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-field MRI systems are used to improve image resolution and scan time, then image quality and productivity are improved, but cost, device size, and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the magnetic field strength parameter from conventional high-field (1.5T-3T) to ultra-low-field (less than 0.2T), fundamentally altering the operating parameters of the MRI system to reduce power consumption and cost while maintaining clinical utility through alternative imaging sequences and signal detection methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive superconducting magnets with permanent magnets that can be manufactured at lower cost, accepting that the system operates at lower field strength and requires longer scan times or specialized sequences to achieve diagnostic quality images
2Measurement precision
If high-field MRI systems are used to improve image resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex superconducting magnet systems with simpler permanent magnet assemblies, eliminating the need for cryogenic cooling systems and complex power supplies, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while operating at ultra-low-field strengths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent operates at ultra-low-field strengths (less than 0.2T) where the physics of magnetic resonance differs from conventional high-field systems, requiring specialized pulse sequences and signal processing techniques to achieve diagnostic image quality despite lower intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio
3Reliability
If high-field MRI systems are deployed to improve clinical imaging capability, then reliability and image quality are improved, but availability decreases due to limited facility requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the magnetic field strength parameter to ultra-low levels (less than 0.2T), which eliminates the requirement for specialized facility infrastructure such as magnetic shielding rooms and reinforced flooring, enabling deployment in standard clinical settings and significantly improving availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses permanently magnetized materials that do not require complex support infrastructure, power supplies, or cooling systems, making the system adaptable to a wide range of clinical environments from rural clinics to urban hospitals without requiring dedicated MRI facilities
4Measurement precision
If conventional MRI systems are used to maintain clinical standards, then measurement precision is maintained, but ease of operation and accessibility worsen due to limited availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent operates at ultra-low-field strengths (less than 0.2T) which fundamentally changes the operational characteristics of the system, requiring simplified pulse sequences and signal processing that are more robust to environmental variations, thereby improving ease of operation and accessibility to diverse clinical settings
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs permanent magnets that require no external power supply to maintain the magnetic field, eliminating the need for complex power management systems and making the device easier to operate and more accessible to facilities with limited technical infrastructure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The low-field MRI system is more accessible and affordable, enabling imaging in diverse settings, such as emergency rooms and clinics, while maintaining clinically useful image quality and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 field for the magnetic resonance imaging system at a low-field strength of less than 0.2 Tesla (T)
Implementation Method 2
at least one radio frequency coil configured to, when operated, transmit radio frequency signals to a field of view of the magnetic resonance imaging system and to respond to magnetic resonance signals emitted from the field of view
Data Source
AI summary
According to some aspects, a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, the B0 magnet comprising at least one first B0 magnet to produce a magnetic field to contribute to the B0 magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, at least one second B0 magnet to produce a magnetic field to contribute to the B0 magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the at least one first B0 magnet and the at least one second B0 magnet are arranged relative to one another so that an imaging region is provided there between, a surface configured to support a patient anatomy within the imaging region, and a positioning member coupled to the B0 magnet and configured to allow the B0 magnet to be tilted to position the planar surface at a corresponding incline.