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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Med. Technol.
Sec. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmedt.2024.1470970
This article is part of the Research Topic Magnetic Neurophysiology: The Cutting Edge of Real Time Neurodiagnostic Technology View all 3 articles

Towards non-invasive imaging through spinal-cord generated magnetic fields

Provisionally accepted
Meaghan Spedden Meaghan Spedden 1*George O'Neill George O'Neill 1Tim Tierney Tim Tierney 1Timothy West Timothy West 2Maike Schmidt Maike Schmidt 1Stephanie Mellor Stephanie Mellor 1Simon F. Farmer Simon F. Farmer 1Sven Bestmann Sven Bestmann 1Gareth Barnes Gareth Barnes 1
  • 1 University College London, London, United Kingdom
  • 2 Imperial College London, London, England, United Kingdom

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Non-invasive imaging of the human spinal cord is a vital tool for understanding the mechanisms underlying its functions in both healthy and pathological conditions. However, non-invasive imaging presents a significant methodological challenge because the spinal cord is difficult to access with conventional neurophysiological approaches, due to its proximity to other organs and muscles, as well as the physiological movements caused by respiration, heartbeats, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. Here, we discuss the present state and future directions of spinal cord imaging, with a focus on the estimation of current flow through magnetic field measurements. We discuss existing cryogenic (superconducting) and noncryogenic (optically-pumped magnetometer-based, OPM) systems, and highlight their strengths and limitations for studying human spinal cord function.While significant challenges remain, particularly in source imaging and interference rejection, magnetic field-based neuroimaging offers a novel avenue for advancing research in various areas. These include sensorimotor processing, cortico-spinal interplay, brain and spinal cord plasticity during learning and recovery from injury, and pain perception. Additionally, this technology holds promise for diagnosing and optimizing the treatment of spinal cord disorders.

    Keywords: Optically pumped magnetometer (OPM), superconducting quantum interface devices (SQUIDs), Human spinal cord, Sensorimotor control, Neuroimaging (functional)

    Received: 26 Jul 2024; Accepted: 20 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Spedden, O'Neill, Tierney, West, Schmidt, Mellor, Farmer, Bestmann and Barnes. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Meaghan Spedden, University College London, London, United Kingdom

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.