Development of a SQUID system for ultralow-field MRI measurement

Issue title: Proceedings from the 16th International Symposium on Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics (ISEM 2013)

Guest editors: Xavier Maldague and Toshiyuki Takagi

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Woo, Taeseong^{a; *} | Nagase, Masae^a | Ohsaki, Hiroyuki^a | Sekino, Masaki^a

Affiliations: [a] Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan | Université Laval, Canada | Tohoku University, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Taeseong Woo, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. E-mail: taeseong@bee.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Abstract: MRI systems have technical challenges in interference with metals and high cost because of the use of strong magnetic field. Ultralow-field MRI is an emerging technique enabling measurement of samples containing metals due to low resonant frequencies, as well as saving cost due to its simplified coil system. We developed a compact SQUID system for ultralow-field MRI equipped with a magnetic shield box of 1 × 1 × 1.5 m. Oscillating magnetic fields were applied to the pick-up coil of SQUID from an external coil with a magnetic flux density equivalent to magnetic resonance signals from water of 10 ml. The SQUID successfully detected external magnetic fields of 3.08 × 10^{-12} T.

Keywords: Superconducting quantum interference device, SQUID, MRI, magnetic resonance, biomagnetics

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-141905

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 45, no. 1-4, pp. 771-778, 2014