AUTHOR=de Vos Bart , Parsa Javad , Abdulrazaq Zaynab , Teeuwisse Wouter M. , Van Speybroeck Camille D. E. , de Gans Danny H. , Remis Rob F. , O’Reilly Tom , Webb Andrew G. 

TITLE=Design, Characterisation and Performance of an Improved Portable and Sustainable Low-Field MRI System

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2021.701157

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2021.701157

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=<p>Low-field permanent magnet-based MRI systems are finding increasing use in portable, sustainable and point-of-care applications. In order to maximize performance while minimizing cost many components of such a system should ideally be designed specifically for low frequency operation. In this paper we describe recent developments in constructing and characterising a low-field portable MRI system for <italic>in vivo</italic> imaging at 50 mT. These developments include the design of i) high-linearity gradient coils using a modified volume-based target field approach, ii) phased-array receive coils, and iii) a battery-operated three-axis gradient amplifier for improved portability and sustainability. In addition, we report performance characterisation of the RF amplifier, the gradient amplifier, eddy currents from the gradient coils, and describe a quality control protocol for the overall system.</p>