Our research is focused on an MRI hardware development that manipulates both static (B0) and RF (B1) fields from ultra-low to ultra-high field strengths. We also develop integrated magnetic field sensors/probes.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is non-invasive and non-radiating imaging modality which is efficiently used for diagnostic purposes, pre- and post-operative follow up of the patients and for guided interventions. Increased sensitivity allows increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for higher resolution and shorter scan time. Higher magnetic susceptibilities at ultra-high field (UHF) are a clear advantage in several MRI techniques (fMRI, SWI and QSM). On the other hand, the wavelength in a tissue at UHF is shorter, which causes interference effects leading to B1+ field inhomogeneities. In addition, B0 field inhomogeneities are higher at UHF. In our research we investigate how to resolve and control these radiofrequency (RF) and B0 field interactions with a human body in order to unleash the full potential of the UHF MRI. The novel RF (B1+) and DC (B0) coil designs will be used for greatly improved structural, functional and metabolic imaging at UHF MRI.

The low field (LF) systems (<0.1T) became very popular lately. The LF systems can be of low weight, portable, sustainable with low operational and maintenance costs, and have no requirements for high power, cooling or for a shielded room. The major challenge of LF MRI is the very low signal-to-noise, meaning that the magnet, RF and data acquisition systems all must be highly optimized in order to be able to scan within a reasonable timeframe. RF systems of most LF MRI setups consists of single channel for both transmit and receive or of an individual channel for transmit and one for receive. To speed up the acquisition and to be able to use low power gradients (without cooling system) it is important to have multichannel transmit/receive RF system to enable parallel imaging. The major challenge at LF is decoupling multiple relative high Q-factor coils which experience very low body loading at such low frequencies: this situation is much more challenging than at higher fields. Our goal is to build highly decoupled multiple channel transmit/receive RF systems which would contribute to a faster acquisition and improved SNR.