Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SPAC MRI (Spacious and accurate MRI machines of the future)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-06-01 al 2023-05-31
MRI machines are essentially big magnets. Much like cameras rely on good lighting to take high quality images, MRIs rely on a stable magnetic field to form their images. When the magnetic field is disturbed, the diagnostic quality of MRI images is severely compromised. This is why inside every MRI tube, there is a bulky component called the “shim coil”, whose job is to counteract the disturbances and stabilize the magnetic field. However, this component takes a lot of space in the MRI bore, is not easily scalable and is not accurate enough to meet the needs of modern MRI. Our solution is a local array of small shim coils located in closer proximity to the patient. Our device has the potential to offer precise and local control of the MRI field with a device that is 50x smaller and 5x more power efficient than the current technology, making MRIs more accurate and accessible. The aim of this project is to substantiate our value proposition and gather evidence of the improved performance of our technology compared to the status-quo through solid data generation. Furthermore, we aim to disseminate the data to relevant stakeholders and establish key partnerships for our commercial strategy.
The main scientific/technical activity in this project was the acquisition of MRI data to consolidate the technical/clinical added value of our field homogenization solution: By acquiring data in controlled comparison studies we aimed to demonstrate the superior efficacy of our technology in magnetic field control compared to the current technology. Additionally we gathered evidence of how the improved field homogeneity translates to improved images and diagnostic quality for clinical added-value in four different MRI applications. The results helped sharpen our value engineering and convince key stakeholders of the potential of our technology compared to state of the art.
Potential impacts of results:
- Delivering unprecedented MRI data quality which will assist researchers to advance the field of medical imaging and assist clinicians in diagnosis and treatment planning
- Enhancing the current MRI technology with a field homogenization device that is 50x smaller and 5x more power efficient and much more scalable than the current field homogenization technique
- Delivering unprecedented MRI data quality which will assist researchers to advance the field of medical imaging and assist clinicians in diagnosis and treatment planning
- Enhancing the current MRI technology with a field homogenization device that is 50x smaller and 5x more power efficient and much more scalable than the current field homogenization technique