Browse Topic: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

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Powering Up Medtech’s Modalities: Top Trends and Design ConsiderationsTBMG-373508/1/2020
We are living in a digitally integrated and connected world. Evidenced by the use of smartphones, smartwatches, and other smart devices, there is no ending this trend. This holds true across many industries and applications, but is especially prevalent within medtech devices — a market that’s predicted to reach $432.6 billion by 2025.1
Development of a Subhuman Primate Brain Finite Element Model to Investigate Brain Injury Thresholds Induced by Head Rotation2019-22-00033/31/2020
An anatomically detailed rhesus monkey brain FE model was developed to simulate in vivo responses of the brain of sub-human primates subjected to rotational accelerations resulting in diffuse axonal injury (DAI). The material properties used in the monkey model are those in the GHBMC 50th percentile male head model (Global Human Body Model Consortium). The angular loading simulations consisted of coronal, oblique and sagittal plane rotations with the center of rotation in neck to duplicate experimental conditions. Maximum principal strain (MPS) and Cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM) were analyzed for various white matter structures such as the cerebrum subcortical white matter, corpus callosum and brainstem. The MPS in coronal rotation were 45% to 54% higher in the brainstem, 8% to 48% higher in the corpus callosum, 13% to 22% higher in the white matter when compared to those in oblique and sagittal rotations, suggesting that more severe DAI was expected from coronal and oblique rotations as compared to that from sagittal rotation. The level 1+ DAI was associated with 1.3 to 1.42 MPS and 50% CSDM (0.5) responses in the brainstem, corpus callosum and cerebral white matter. The mass scaling method, sometimes referred to as Holbourn's inverse 2/3 power law, used for development of human brain injury criterion was evaluated to understand the effect of geometrical and anatomical differences between human and animal head. Based on simulations conducted with the animal and human models in three different planes - sagittal, coronal and horizontal - the scaling from animal to human models are not supported due to lack of geometrical similitude between the animal and human brains. Thus, the scaling method used in the development of brain injury criterion for rotational acceleration/velocity is unreliable.
Arora, Tushar, Zhang, Liying, Prasad, Priya
3D Inductor Technology Expands Microchip CapabilityTBMG-361793/1/2020
Engineers have boosted the performance of 3D inductor technology by adding as much as three orders of magnitude more induction to meet the performance demands of modern electronic devices.
Iron Nanorobots Destroy Cancer CellsTBMG-362383/1/2020
Drug-coated iron nanowires that can be guided to the site of a tumor using an external magnetic field before activating a three-step cancer-killing mechanism could provide an effective option for cancer therapy.
Low-Field MRI Improves Lung, Cardiac ImagingTBMG-357731/1/2020
National Institutes of Health researchers, along with researchers at Siemens, have developed a high-performance, low-magnetic-field MRI system that vastly improves image quality of the lungs and other internal structures of the human body. The new system is more compatible with interventional devices that could greatly enhance image-guided procedures that diagnose and treat disease, and the system makes medical imaging more affordable and accessible for patients.
Magnetic Metamaterial Could Improve MRIsTBMG-357721/1/2020
Researchers have developed a low-cost, “intelligent” metamaterial that could revolutionize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), making the entire MRI process faster, safer, and more accessible to patients around the world.
Facility Focus: National Science FoundationTBMG-3543611/1/2019
After World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt envisioned a world with a brighter future than the preceding decades — one in which science and technology could create more productive, more fulfilling lives for all Americans. To plan that scientific future, the nation’s first science agency was created to transition the wartime R&D experience — which yielded new discoveries such as penicillin, radar, and the atom bomb — to peacetime. In 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Science Foundation Act to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes” to continue this legacy.
Diamond Technology Enables Low-Cost Medical ImagingTBMG-3543511/1/2019
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines are employed to locate cancerous tumors and aid in the development of treatment plans, while nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machines are used to examine the atomic-scale structure and chemistry of drug compounds and other molecules. Diamonds are the key to a technique that could provide a very-low-cost alternative to these expensive medical imaging and drug discovery devices.
X-ray Measurement Approach Could Improve CT ScannersTBMG-3544211/1/2019
A new measurement approach could lead to a better way to calibrate computed tomography (CT) scanners, potentially streamlining patient treatment by improving communication among doctors.
Hydration Sensor Could Improve DialysisTBMG-3534410/1/2019
A new portable sensor can accurately measure patients’ hydration levels using a technique known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry. Such a device could be useful for not only dialysis patients but also people with congestive heart failure, as well as athletes and elderly people who may be in danger of becoming dehydrated.
Self-Affinity of an Aircraft Pilot’s Gaze Direction as a Marker of Visual Tunneling2019-01-18529/16/2019
For the last few years, a great deal of interest has been paid to crew monitoring systems in order to address potential safety problems during a flight. They aim at detecting any degraded physiological and/or cognitive state of an aircraft pilot or crew, such as visual tunneling, also called inattentional blindness. Indeed, they might have a negative impact on the performance to pursue the mission with adequate flight safety levels. One of the usual approaches consists in using sensors to collect physiological signals which are then analyzed. Two main families exist to process the signals. The first one combines feature extraction and machine learning whereas the second is based on deep-learning approaches which may require a large amount of labeled data. In this work, we focused on the first family. In this case, various features can be deduced from the data by different approaches: spectrum analysis, a priori modeling and nonlinear dynamical system analysis techniques including the estimation of the self-affinity of the signals. In this paper, our purpose was to uncover whether the self-affinity of the pilot gaze direction can be related to his cognitive state. To this end, an experiment was carried out on thirteen subjects in a pilot activity representative environment based on a modified version of the software MATB-II. The scenarios were designed to elicit different levels of mental workload eventually associated to attentional tunneling. A database to train the machine learning step was first created by recording the gaze directions of the subjects with an eye-tracker. The self-affinities of these signals were extracted with the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis method. They constituted the inputs of the classifier. Then, other signals were analyzed and classified. Preliminary results showed promising abilities to detect visual tunneling episodes for different levels of mental workload.
Berthelot, Bastien, Mazoyer, Patrick, Egea, Sarah, André, Jean-Marc, Grivel, Éric, Legrand, Pierrick
Magnetic Metamaterial Amplifies MRITBMG-351209/1/2019
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of organs and tissues in the human body, helping doctors diagnose potential problems or diseases. Doctors use MRI to identify abnormalities or diseases in vital organs as well as many other types of body tissue, including the spinal cord and joints.
Spatiotemporal Imaging Exploiting Structured SparsityTBMG-351049/1/2019
Spatiotemporal imaging contains a large class of imaging problems, which involve collecting a sequence of data sets to resolve both the spatial and temporal (or spectral) distributions of some physics quantity. This capability is exploited in numerous different fields such as remote sensing, security surveillance systems, astronomical imaging, and biomedical imaging. One typical example is hyperspectral imaging, which is a powerful technology for remotely inferring the material properties of the objects in a scene of interest. Ultrasonic and thermal imaging are other important examples of spatiotemporal imaging where high spatial resolution is needed for urban planning, military planning, intelligence and disaster monitoring and evaluation.
Patch Improves Care for NICU BabiesTBMG-344355/1/2019
When a baby is placed into a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), its vitals are continuously recorded through electrodes placed on the skin with wires attached to monitoring platforms. Researchers are working to replace the wires with a patch that would allow parents to hold their little one while it's being monitored.
MRI Sensor Can Image Activity Deep Within the BrainTBMG-344305/1/2019
A new way to image calcium activity is based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and allows them researchers to peer much deeper into the brain. Using this technique, they can track signaling processes inside the neurons of living animals, enabling them to link neural activity with specific behaviors.
Electrical Connectors: Design Considerations for Medical DevicesTBMG-339863/1/2019
The myriad of devices used in surgical, interventional, imaging, diagnostic and therapeutic, sensors, and single-use medical applications use some form of transmission medium to transport electrical signals. While the construction of a cable seems relatively straightforward compared with the complexity of the apparatus it is connected to, the environmental considerations and regulations behind these constructions all bring with them additional design constraints. This article provides an overview of particular characteristics found in medical device cables and connectors along with some respective design considerations.
New Fast, Economical Bioimaging TechniqueTBMG-338973/1/2019
Researchers at Rensselaer Poytechnic Institute (RPI) have developed a new approach to optical imaging that makes it possible to quickly and economically monitor multiple molecular interactions in a large area of living tissue such as an organ or a small animal — technology that could have applications in medical diagnosis, guided surgery, or pre-clinical drug testing. The method is capable of simultaneously tracking 16 colors of spatially linked information over an area spanning several centimeters, and can capture interactions that occur in mere billionths of a second.
Microchip Tracks Smart PillsTBMG-335921/1/2019
Researchers have developed a prototype miniature medical device that could ultimately be used in smart pills to diagnose and treat diseases. A key to the new technology is that its location can be precisely identified within the body — something that previously proved challenging.
Customizing Implants With 3D Image ProcessingTBMG-335621/1/2019
Long-term patient comfort is a key part in any implant surgeries. Accurate placements of implants, of knees, hips, and other medical devices, is crucial to reducing the risk of discomfort and the need for costly revision surgeries. Custom-designed implants and simulation is a field of growing importance, giving clinicians and designers freedom to tailor designs for patients and make more informed surgical decisions. In addition to streamlining the manufacturing process, this approach enables multiple implant variations and pathologies to be considered at the virtual stage through additive manufacturing. This is as opposed to finding and correcting problems through trial and error.
Algorithm Enables Faster Analysis of Medical ImagesTBMG-3338612/1/2018
Medical image registration is a common technique that involves overlaying two images, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, to compare and analyze anatomical differences in great detail. If a patient has a brain tumor, for instance, doctors can overlap a brain scan from several months ago onto a more recent scan to analyze small changes in the tumor's progress.
Wireless System Pinpoints Location of Ingestible ImplantsTBMG-3320711/1/2018
An “in-body GPS” system was developed that can pinpoint the location of ingestible implants inside the body using low-power wireless signals. These implants could be used as tiny tracking devices on shifting tumors to help monitor their slight movements. The system, called ReMix, can track the implants with centimeter-level accuracy.
Simulations Address Delays in MRI Breast ImagingTBMG-3325311/1/2018
Without a way to prove that a new MRI technique is safe for all women, clinical MRIs haven't been able to keep pace with the latest advances in MRI research. More informative cancer detection is possible with stronger magnetic fields that also, unfortunately, increase the risk of tissue heating during a screening.
MR Coil for High-Quality ImagingTBMG-3306510/1/2018
Researchers have developed and tested an MR coil for high-quality imaging of the whole mouse. Such coils are required for preclinical studies of drugs, as well as for targeted examination of various body systems. Due to the design features, the new coil provides three times higher image quality than a commercial volume MR coil, usually used in such studies. The coil is low cost, and the manufacturing technology can be adapted for different studies.
Promising Research Could Lead to New Strategies in NMR and MRI Using Diamonds and LasersTBMG-324628/1/2018
Defects in the lattice of diamonds produce more than just beautiful coloration. A new approach developed by researchers at UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry shows great promise for enhancing the signal from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using lasers without expensive magnets.
Improved 3D Printing for Patient-Specific Medical DiagnosisTBMG-297537/1/2018
What if you could hold a physical model of your own brain in your hands, accurate down to its every unique fold? That's just a normal part of life for Steven Keating, PhD, who had a baseball-sized tumor removed from his brain at age 26 while he was a graduate student in the MIT Media Lab's Mediated Matter Group. Curious to see what his brain actually looked like before the tumor was removed, and with the goal of better understanding his diagnosis and treatment options, Keating collected his medical data and began 3D printing his MRI and CT scans, but was frustrated that existing methods were prohibitively time-intensive and cumbersome and failed to accurately reveal important features of interest. Keating reached out to some of his group's collaborators, including members of the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, who were exploring a new method for 3D printing biological samples.
Selecting Gearhead Technology for Medical Imaging EquipmentTBMG-297467/1/2018
CT scanners have far greater accuracy than x-ray technology but place more demands on patients. Getting the high precision, three-dimensional images necessary for accurate diagnosis requires patients to lie still on a table moving through a magnetic field created by a large ring of magnets that rotates around them. Although the fundamentals of these designs are limited by the laws of physics and economics, over the years, medical equipment manufacturers have made great strides in refining system mechanics to maximize patient comfort. They have, for example, reduced the duration of a single rotation from hours to below 500 milliseconds, which has shortened sessions dramatically.
Evaluating Electronics Contract Manufacturers for Medical DevicesTBMG-291006/1/2018
The ideal contract manufacturer is more than a transactional supplier; rather, it is a partner that improves the product and process. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic box build assemblies are critically important in the medical field. Today, most medical devices used in healthcare settings to diagnose, test, or treat patients, as well as devices critical to laboratory research, rely on PCBs in one way or another.
Erasable Contrast Agents Blink On/OffTBMG-291396/1/2018
Researchers are working on “erasable” contrast agents that would have the ability to blink off, on command, thereby revealing their location in the body.
Near-Infrared Light May Identify Breast Cancer Patients Who Will Benefit Most from ChemotherapyTBMG-287544/1/2018
A new optical imaging system developed at Columbia University uses red and near-infrared light to identify breast cancer patients who will respond to chemotherapy. The imaging system may be able to predict response to chemotherapy as early as two weeks after beginning treatment.
Metasurface-Based Technology Enables Safe MRIs for People with ImplantsTBMG-283602/1/2018
An international research team has developed a device capable of improving the performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units. The technology is based on local redistribution of a magnetic field with the help of a metasurface made of metal resonators. It was proven experimentally that the metasurface is capable of reducing the power required to produce high-quality images using an MRI unit. The use of MRI units of lower intensity makes it possible to make MRI diagnostics safe for people with medical implants. The results of this research were published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance. 1
Optical Ultrasound Needle for Heart SurgeryTBMG-281611/1/2018
Doctors currently rely on external ultrasound probes, combined with pre-operative imaging scans, to visualize soft tissue and organs during minimally invasive procedures, as the miniature surgical instruments used do not support internal ultrasound imaging.
Therapy Robots a Step Closer to RealityTBMG-281301/1/2018
In tests, a swarm of robots measuring a few millionths of a meter long — about the size of a blood cell — were guided magnetically to sites in the stomach of rats. The robots were manufactured by coating tiny algae with magnetic particles. They could be tracked in tissue close to the skin's surface by imaging the algae's natural fluorescence, and in hard-to-reach deeper tissue by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Strain-rate Dependency of Axonal Tolerance for Uniaxial Stretching2017-22-000311/13/2017
This study aims to clarify the relation between axonal deformation and the onset of axonal injury. Firstly, to examine the influence of strain rate on the threshold for axonal injury, cultured neurons were subjected to 12 types of stretching (strains were 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 and strain rates were 10, 30, 50, and 70 s-1). The formation of axonal swellings and bulbs increased significantly at strain rates of 50 and 30 s-1 with strains of 0.15 and 0.20, respectively, even though those formations did not depend on strain rates in cultures exposed to a strain of 0.10. Then, to examine the influence of the strain along an axon on axonal injury, swellings were measured at every axonal angle in the stretching direction. The axons that were parallel to stretching direction were injured the most. Finally, we proposed an experimental model that subjected an axon to more accurate strain. This model observed the process of axonal injury formation by detecting the same neuron before and after stretching. These results suggest that the strain-rate dependency of axonal tolerance is induced by a higher magnitude of loading strain and an experiment focusing on axonal strain is required for obtaining more detailed injury criteria for an axon.
Nakadate, Hiromichi, Kurtoglu, Evrim, Furukawa, Hidenori, Oikawa, Shoko, Aomura, Shigeru, Kakuta, Akira, Matsui, Yasuhiro
Biopsy Robot Can Be Used in an MRI ScannerTBMG-2772410/1/2017
A biopsy robot made from 3D printed plastic can be used in an MRI scanner. The advantage of plastic is that the robot can carry out a biopsy (removing a piece of tissue) during a breast cancer scan in an MRI, which significantly increases accuracy. The Stormram 4 is a stimulus for the entire diagnostic phase of breast cancer; the accurate needle control, effectively real-time MRI scanning and a single, thin-needle biopsy enable quicker and more accurate diagnoses to be made. The researchers believe medical robotics is sure to become standard procedure in hospitals in the near future.
Self-Learning Device Could Increase Patient SafetyTBMG-273429/1/2017
A technology being developed could provide an affordable, smart, self-learning device that, when placed into existing MRI machines, could allow medical professionals to monitor patients more effectively and safely, by performing concurrent medical imaging and recording for diagnostic purposes.
Neuroimaging Technique May Help Predict Autism Among High-Risk InfantsTBMG-275659/1/2017
According to a recent study, functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) may predict which high-risk, 6-month-old infants will develop autism spectrum disorder by age 2 years.
New Technique Makes Brain Scans BetterTBMG-273218/1/2017
People who suffer a stroke often undergo a brain scan at the hospital, allowing doctors to determine the location and extent of the damage. Researchers who study the effects of strokes would love to be able to analyze these images, but the resolution is often too low for many analyses.
3D Printable Implants May Ease Damaged KneesTBMG-270136/1/2017
A cartilage-mimicking material created by researchers at Duke University may one day allow surgeons to 3D print replacement knee parts that are custom-shaped to each patient's anatomy.
ECT Imaging Detects Infections in ProsthesesTBMG-2610812/18/2016
Current ways of detecting infections in prostheses require patients to undergo burdensome imaging procedures, such as an MRI, CAT scan, or X-rays. Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a new, non-invasive way of providing amputees with quantitative, diagnostic-relevant information about the extent and locations of the infection.
4D Imaging Captures Patients' Risk of StrokeTBMG-2561110/24/2016
Atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia, affects 33.5 million people worldwide. The slow, sluggish blood flow caused by atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots, which then travel to the brain and initiate stroke. The risk of blockage or hemorrhage of a blood vessel, however, is difficult to predict.
High Field Superconducting MagnetsTBMG-251658/1/2016
This superconducting magnet developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center comprises a superconducting wire wound in adjacent turns about a mandrel to form the superconducting magnet; a thermally conductive potting material configured to fill interstices between the adjacent turns; and a voltage limiting device disposed across each end of the superconducting wire, and is configured to prevent a voltage excursion across the superconducting wire during quench of the superconducting magnet. The thermally conductive potting material and the superconducting wire provide a path for dissipation of heat.
Metamaterials Can Enhance Sensitivity of MRI MachinesTBMG-249036/1/2016
Multilayer Insulation SystemsTBMG-242494/1/2016
Cryogenic fluid management (CFM) is a critical technical area that is needed for the successful development of future space exploration. A key challenge is the storability of LH2, LCH4, and LOX propellants for long durations. The storage tanks must be well insulated to prevent over-pressurization and venting, which lead to unacceptable propellant losses for long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
3D-Printed Airways Continue to Save LivesTBMG-239122/1/2016
Previously, Medical Design Briefs reported on a baby boy whose life was saved using a custom 3D-printed tracheal splint, a groundbreaking procedure pioneered at the University of Michigan. He is now nearly four years old. Since that time, a 14-year-old girl has now joined the list of three baby boys and one baby girl who’ve received novel 3D-printed tracheal splints to treat a congenital breathing condition called tracheobronchomalasia (TBM), which causes tracheal walls to collapse. All five are alive and thriving, thanks to the technology and the surgical procedures that helped their collapsed airways function normally.
Thermal Invisibility Cloak Actively Redirects HeatTBMG-2318710/16/2015
Light, sound, and now, heat. Just as optical invisibility cloaks can bend and diffract light to shield an object from sight, and specially fabricated acoustic metamaterials can hide an object from sound waves, a recently developed thermal cloak can render an object thermally invisible by actively redirecting incident heat.
Enhancing MRI Contrast by Geometrical Confinement of Small Imaging Agents Within Nanoporous ParticlesTBMG-222016/1/2015
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved into one of the most powerful, non-invasive diagnostic imaging techniques in medicine and biomedical research. The superior resolution and in-depth anatomical details provided by MRI are essential for early diagnosis of many diseases. Chemical contrast agents (CAs) have been widely used for improving the sensitivity and diagnostic confidence in MRI.
Silicone: Expanding the Horizon for Today’s Medical DevicesTBMG-220665/1/2015
Silicone materials have been around for more than 70 years and since the 1960s have played an important and evolving part in products designed for the medical field. Since that time, silicone materials have been developed in various medical grades for skin contact, as well as short-term and long-term implantation. These materials can be formed into products using compression molding, transfer molding, and injection molding. This provides engineers, designers, and inventors with a high level of flexibility when selecting a molding process to produce their medical devices. Medical devices such as tubing for medical diagnostic systems to drug delivery devices like tear duct (punctual) plugs have been produced out of silicone.
Shape-Shifting GEM Sensor Responds to Radio FrequenciesTBMG-219114/1/2015
Geometrically encoded magnetic sensors (GEMs), developed by researchers from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), react to local biochemical conditions by changing their shape and response to radio frequencies.
Visualization of fMRI Network DataTBMG-216253/1/2015
Functional connections within the brain can be revealed through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which shows simultaneous activations of blood flow in the brain during response tests. However, fMRI specialists currently do not have a tool for visualizing the complex data that comes from fMRI scans. They work with correlation matrices that table what functional region connections exist, but they have no corresponding visualization.
Infrared ‘Optical Biopsy’ Reveals Tumors and LesionsTBMG-2109112/1/2014
A new medical imaging method being developed at Rutgers University could help physicians detect cancer and other diseases earlier than before, speeding treatment and reducing the need for invasive, time-consuming biopsies.
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