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Published September 2009 | public
Journal Article

A uniplanar three-axis gradient set for in vivo magnetic resonance microscopy

Abstract

We present an optimized uniplanar magnetic resonance gradient design specifically tailored for MR imaging applications in developmental biology and histology. Uniplanar gradient designs sacrifice gradient uniformity for high gradient efficiency and slew rate, and are attractive for surface imaging applications where open access from one side of the sample is required. However, decreasing the size of the uniplanar gradient set presents several unique engineering challenges, particularly for heat dissipation and thermal insulation of the sample from gradient heating. We demonstrate a new three-axis, target-field optimized uniplanar gradient coil design that combines efficient cooling and insulation to significantly reduce sample heating at sample-gradient distances of less than 5 mm. The instrument is designed for microscopy in horizontal bore magnets. Empirical gradient current efficiencies in the prototype coils lie between 3.75 G/cm/A and 4.5 G/cm/A with current and heating-limited maximum gradient strengths between 235 G/cm and 450 G/cm at a 2% duty cycle. The uniplanar gradient prototype is demonstrated with non-linearity corrections for both high-resolution structural imaging of tissue slices and for long time-course imaging of live, developing amphibian embryos in a horizontal bore 7 T magnet.

Additional Information

Copyright © 2009 Elsevier. Received 5 January 2009; revised 28 May 2009. Available online 2 June 2009. This work is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF-0552396) the Discovery Fund of the Caltech Brain Imaging Center and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Additional details

Created:
August 21, 2023
Modified:
October 18, 2023