Mimicking the Electromagnetic Distribution in the Human Brain: A Multi-frequency MRI Head Phantom
- Authors: Neves A.L.1,2, Leroi L.3, Cochinaire N.1,2, Abdeddaim R.1, Sabouroux P.1, Vignaud A.3
- 
							Affiliations: 
							- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel
- Centre Commun de Ressources en Micro-ondes, IUSTI-Technopôle de Château-Gombert
- CEA-Saclay, DRF/I2BM/Neurospin
 
- Issue: Vol 48, No 3 (2017)
- Pages: 213-226
- Section: Original Paper
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/0937-9347/article/view/247655
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-017-0862-4
- ID: 247655
Cite item
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to fabricate and test a multi-frequency human brain-mimicking phantom for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment purposes. An anatomically realistic human head phantom was elaborated, for different Larmor frequencies, which allows rapid quantification of \({\text{B}}_{1}^{ + }\). It is a simple alternative solution in time and cost as compared to numerical simulations to validate simulation when the coil geometry and components cannot be known as a unique solution. The permittivity \(\varepsilon^{{\prime }}\) and conductivity \(\sigma\) of sucrose/salt/agar aqueous solutions of varying concentrations were determined; a solution with these components and having the adequate concentration to obtain the brain’s dielectric properties at 3, 7 and 11.7T was manufactured. An anthropomorphic polymeric skull was filled with this mixture. To check the behavior of this phantom in a MRI configuration, both numerical and experimental validations were done: a \({\text{B}}_{1}^{ + }\) field distribution inside the phantom was calculated with CST Microwave Studio inside a birdcage coil at 7T; the same mapping was assessed in a 7T MRI. The feasibility of a multi-MRI static field phantom was demonstrated. A solution composed by 54.7 wt% of sucrose, 3.1 wt% of salt and 3.1 wt% of agar was fabricated with good permittivity and conductivity matching for 3, 7 and 11.7T. The results were confirmed by both numerical simulation and MRI acquisition. This work has shown the possibility of manufacturing a head phantom with accessible and cheap components for MRI evaluation, having an adequate \({\text{B}}_{1}^{ + }\) field distribution and the dielectric properties of the human brain.
About the authors
Ana L. Neves
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel; Centre Commun de Ressources en Micro-ondes, IUSTI-Technopôle de Château-Gombert
							Author for correspondence.
							Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                	ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1763-2074
				                																			                												                	France, 							Marseille; Marseille						
Lisa Leroi
CEA-Saclay, DRF/I2BM/Neurospin
														Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                					                																			                												                	France, 							Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, 91191						
Nicolas Cochinaire
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel; Centre Commun de Ressources en Micro-ondes, IUSTI-Technopôle de Château-Gombert
														Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                					                																			                												                	France, 							Marseille; Marseille						
Redha Abdeddaim
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel
														Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                					                																			                												                	France, 							Marseille						
Pierre Sabouroux
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel
														Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                					                																			                												                	France, 							Marseille						
Alexandre Vignaud
CEA-Saclay, DRF/I2BM/Neurospin
														Email: Luisa.neves@fresnel.fr
				                					                																			                												                	France, 							Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, 91191						
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