Multiport radiofrequency workstation for developing receive and transmit system architectures in magnetic resonance imaging

• Subject Area: Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 514068314

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has established itself as one of the most important diagnostic methods in clinical medicine. It also plays an essential role in modern neurocognitive research, as it can provide important information about the structure and function of the human brain. While the technological advances in increasing MRI field strength and improving gradient performance are remarkable, the MRI coil technology (receiver and transmitter systems) has proven to be a significant key technology to substantially improve the sensitivity and encoding capabilities in MR imaging. Especially at high field strengths, homogeneous spin excitation through radiofrequency (RF) magnetic and electric fields proves to be particularly challenging. Multichannel transmit coil systems offer the potential for precise modulation of RF field distributions and are essential for high-quality ultrahigh-field MR imaging. Especially in MRI hardware development, the complex and difficult circumstances of physics, electronics, radiofrequency technology and computation, as well as medical aspects, must be combined into innovative and suitable concepts. This interdisciplinarity is also reflected in the configuration of the proposed multiport RF workstation: a metrological conglomerate consisting of multiport network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, waver probers, and high-performance computer, which will be orchestrated into a comprehensive high-end instrumentation with customized technical scientific functionality for MRI research. The high-end instrumentation MESSMAG will provide new insights for MR methodology, allowing MRI to further exploit its full potential for providing important clinical information.

• DFG Programme: Major Instrumentation Initiatives
• Major Instrumentation: Multikanal-Vektornetzwerkanalysator ; Server-Computer ; Signal- und Spektrumanalysator ; Vektornetzwerkanalysator zur HF-Wafer-Analyse
• Instrumentation Group: 2720 Impedanz- und Dämpfungsmeßgeräte, Frequenzgangmeßgeräte, Netzwerkanalysatoren ; 6380 Frequenzanalysatoren, Schwingungsanalysatoren ; 7030 Dedizierte, dezentrale Rechenanlagen, Prozeßrechner
• Applicant Institution: Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Boris Keil
• Co-Investigators: Ghader Darbandy, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Harald Möller