Fraunhofer MEVIS aims for utilizing compact MRI devices for research and education

Lecture “MRI Sequence Composition Beyond Academia” and workshop “Prototype your own MRI Sequence,” 4th of April, in cooperation with the Institute for Design Informatics (IDI), University of Edinburgh

Fraunhofer MEVIS will present the concept to employees and students, as well as an interested audience in Edinburgh. The direct exchange with the participants intends to promote a deeper understanding of the possibilities and challenges of MRI sequence development.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides non-invasive insights into the human body. This is why MRI scanners are an integral part of routine diagnostic imaging. However, their programming is complex and requires highly specialized knowledge. An initiative by the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS in Bremen now tries to change this: Fraunhofer MEVIS has purchased several small tabletop MRI devices to be combined with the in-house developed software platform gammaSTAR. This will simplify and standardize programming in a way that the sequences can later be run on real MRI scanners. This shall make it more accessible for students to get started with the technology and enable non-specialists to program MRI applications.

The program code that controls the scanner instructions, a so called MRI sequence, defines how a scan is performed in order to achieve the desired image contrast and characteristics. However, the creation of these MRI sequences is highly complex: the development environments have evolved over the last few decades and are sometimes based on old programming standards. “It takes many months to familiarize yourself with them,” explains Fraunhofer researcher Matthias Günther. “That's why it has so far been left to specialized experts to create such MRI sequences.”

As a result, if radiologists want to optimize a sequence for a specific field of application, they usually cannot do this on their own, but require support by MRI experts. The situation is also difficult for students who would like to write a thesis on the topic of MRI: Getting to know the sequence programming would be so laborious that it would simply take too much time.

To overcome these difficulties, Fraunhofer MEVIS has purchased five special devices – compact MRI scanners that fit on a table and only require a power supply and a laptop connection to operate. Three of the devices were developed by Resonint Ltd. and two at the STIMULATE research campus. They look more like kitchen gadgets than the complex MRI scanners with their superconducting magnets found in hospitals. “They are equipped with simple, small magnets, but still deliver good image resolution,” explains Günther. “However, these tabletop scanners can only analyze relatively small samples, such as the contents of a glass tube.” In some cases, however, even dynamic flow measurements are possible.

Such desktop devices are already in use for teaching and training. Fraunhofer MEVIS wants to significantly expand the range of applications. A key element is the gammaSTAR software platform developed in Bremen. It aims to standardize sequence development in a way that the same sequence can be used for devices from different manufacturers. It also offers a user-friendly interface that makes it more accessible to non-specialists. The modular composition of sequences allows intuitive experimentation and optimization without the need for in-depth knowledge of MRI technology or programming.

Development is also to be supported by the use of artificial intelligence. The idea: in the future, users will only need to formulate their requirements for a sequence. The AI will then automatically translate this requirement into an effective MRI sequence. This would speed up the development process and open up new possibilities, for example for personalized medicine.

“The ability to test MRI sequences on small, low-cost devices before they are used on large scanners would be a significant step forward,” emphasizes Günther. “This would allow faster and more efficient development of customized sequences.” Fraunhofer MEVIS plans to utilize the devices extensively in both teaching and research. Workshops and practical seminars are planned to engage students to get in touch with MRI sequence development and realize their own projects, for example as part of their master’s program. The easy handling and accessibility of the compact devices together with the gammaSTAR platform promise to lower the barriers to enter this complex technology.

The use of table-top devices for measuring so-called MRI phantoms also appears interesting. These artificial organ models can be used to test new MRI sequences in a lab setup. “Such phantoms can be 3D printed for use in tabletop devices,” explains Matthias Günther. “This is easier and cheaper than producing the large phantoms we need for conventional MRI scanners.” The researchers can then use the phantoms to develop optimized sequences for specific diagnostic questions and transfer them to the large, clinical MR scanners with the support of gammaSTAR.

Lecture: MRI Sequence Composition Beyond Academia

12:00-13:00 BST, 4th of April, 2024, Bayes Centre, Edinburgh

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Workshop: Prototype your own MRI Sequence

13:30-15:30 BST, 4th of April, 2024, Bayes Centre, Edinburgh

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