A Rat Brain Functional MRI Study Using High-Temperature Superconducting Radio-Frequency Coil Platform in a 7T MRI
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Author(s)
Liu, Yen-Liang
Abstract
Recently, the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become a booming technique in the desire of understanding our mysterious brains. However, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal of the fMRI studies is very weak which could be influenced by noise easily. Therefore, if the noise of the fMRI studies could be reduced, the functional contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the significance of the functional connectivity will considerably increase.
In order to improve the accuracy and reliability of the fMRI results, the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) radio-frequency (RF) surface coil platform in 7 Tesla (T) animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system served as a novel implementation for the fMRI studies. In the reason, the thermal noise of the MRI system could be reduced for its extremely low resistance attribute under critical temperature (Tc).
The results showed that the rat brain anatomy image SNR gain was about 1.8 times by using HTS RF surface coil platform compared to homemade copper RF surface coil of similar size and shape. In the block-design fMRI experiment of forepaws electrical stimulation, the HTS RF surface coil platform demonstrated a 1.5-time functional CNR gain. Besides, the temporal SNR was also improved by using HTS RF surface coil platform with approximately 1.4 times gain in the resting-state fMRI experiment. Furthermore, the functional connectivity of sensorimotor system, including motor cortex (M1/M2), somatosensory cortex (S1/S2), and thalamus, also became much more significant due to the thermal noise reduction as scanned by HTS RF surface coil platform.
As shown in the results of this study, the image SNR, temporal SNR, functional CNR, and the significance of the functional connectivity were all improved greatly as the thermal noise was reduced by using HTS RF surface coil platform. The brain functional connectivity would be revealed more accurately using the HTS RF surface coil platform. In the future, more information and knowledge, including reliable brain network causality analysis, would be feasible by using the high SNR HTS RF surface coil platform.
Subjects
HTS RF Surface Coil
SNR
Resting-state fMRI
Block-design fMRI of Forepaws Electrical Stimulation
Functional CNR
Functional Connectivity
Type
thesis
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