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Hybrid ultra-low-field MRI and magnetoencephalography system based on a commercial whole-head neuromagnetometer

  1. Panu T. Vesanen1,*,
  2. Jaakko O. Nieminen1,
  3. Koos C. J. Zevenhoven1,
  4. Juhani Dabek1,
  5. Lauri T. Parkkonen1,2,
  6. Andrey V. Zhdanov1,3,
  7. Juho Luomahaara4,5,
  8. Juha Hassel4,
  9. Jari Penttilä5,
  10. Juha Simola2,
  11. Antti I. Ahonen2,
  12. Jyrki P. Mäkelä3,
  13. Risto J. Ilmoniemi1

Article first published online: 17 JUL 2012

DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24413

Issue

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Volume 69, Issue 6, pages 1795–1804, June 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Vesanen, P. T., Nieminen, J. O., Zevenhoven, K. C. J., Dabek, J., Parkkonen, L. T., Zhdanov, A. V., Luomahaara, J., Hassel, J., Penttilä, J., Simola, J., Ahonen, A. I., Mäkelä, J. P. and Ilmoniemi, R. J. (2013), Hybrid ultra-low-field MRI and magnetoencephalography system based on a commercial whole-head neuromagnetometer. Magn Reson Med, 69: 1795–1804. doi: 10.1002/mrm.24413

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland

  2. 2

    Elekta Oy, Helsinki, Finland

  3. 3

    BioMag Laboratory, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

  4. 4

    VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo, Finland

  5. 5

    Aivon Oy, Espoo, Finland

*M.Sc., Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 12200, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 MAY 2013
  2. Article first published online: 17 JUL 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 JUN 2012
  4. Manuscript Revised: 8 MAY 2012
  5. Manuscript Received: 14 FEB 2012

Funded by

  • The European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013). Grant Number: 200859
  • The Academy of Finland
  • Emil Aaltonen Foundation
  • Instrumentarium Science Foundation
  • International Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics (iBioMEP)

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Keywords:

  • ultra-low-field MRI;
  • magnetoencephalography;
  • MEG-MRI;
  • superconducting quantum interference device

Abstract

Ultra-low-field MRI uses microtesla fields for signal encoding and sensitive superconducting quantum interference devices for signal detection. Similarly, modern magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems use arrays comprising hundreds of superconducting quantum interference device channels to measure the magnetic field generated by neuronal activity. In this article, hybrid MEG-MRI instrumentation based on a commercial whole-head MEG device is described. The combination of ultra-low-field MRI and MEG in a single device is expected to significantly reduce coregistration errors between the two modalities, to simplify MEG analysis, and to improve MEG localization accuracy. The sensor solutions, MRI coils (including a superconducting polarizing coil), an optimized pulse sequence, and a reconstruction method suitable for hybrid MEG-MRI measurements are described. The performance of the device is demonstrated by presenting ultra-low-field-MR images and MEG recordings that are compared with data obtained with a 3T scanner and a commercial MEG device. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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