High pressure magnetic resonance imaging with metallic vessels.

High pressure measurements in most scientific fields rely on metal vessels given the superior tensile strength of metals. We introduce high pressure magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements with metallic vessels. The developed MRI compatible metallic pressure vessel concept is very general in application. Macroscopic physical systems are now amenable to spatially resolved nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study at variable pressure and temperature. Metallic pressure vessels not only provide inherently high tensile strengths and efficient temperature control, they also permit optimization of the MRI RF probe sensitivity. An MRI compatible pressure vessel is demonstrated with a rock core holder fabricated using non-magnetic stainless steel. Water flooding through a porous rock under pressure is shown as an example of its applications. High pressure NMR spectroscopy plays an indispensable role in several science fields. This work will open new vistas of study for high pressure material science MRI and MR.

Non-Cartesian sampled centric scan SPRITE imaging with magnetic field gradient and B0(t) field measurements for MRI in the vicinity of metal structures.

This paper proposes the possibility of spatially resolved MRI measurements undertaken inside metallic cells. MRI has been rarely usable inside conducting vessels due to the eddy currents in the walls caused by switching magnetic field gradients, which render most advanced MRI pulse sequences impossible. We propose magnetic field gradient waveform monitoring (MFGM) for MRI of samples inside metallic cells. In this work the MFGM method was extended to measure the B(0) field temporal evolution associated with gradient waveforms. MFGM was used to observe and correct eddy current effects associated with a metallic cell. High quality centric scan SPRITE images result from such corrections. MRI of samples held under pressure, most notably rock core samples, traditionally employs cells that are non-magnetic and fabricated from polymeric materials. The natural material for high-pressure MRI is however non-ferromagnetic metal given their high tensile strengths and high thermal conductivity. MRI measurement of macroscopic samples at high pressure would be generally possible if metallic pressure vessels could be employed. This study will form the basis of new MRI compatible metallic pressure vessels, which will permit MRI of macroscopic systems at high pressure.

Pure phase encode magnetic field gradient monitor.

Numerous methods have been developed to measure MRI gradient waveforms and k-space trajectories. The most promising new strategy appears to be magnetic field monitoring with RF microprobes. Multiple RF microprobes may record the magnetic field evolution associated with a wide variety of imaging pulse sequences. The method involves exciting one or more test samples and measuring the time evolution of magnetization through the FIDs. Two critical problems remain. The gradient waveform duration is limited by the sample T(2)*, while the k-space maxima are limited by gradient dephasing. The method presented is based on pure phase encode FIDs and solves the above two problems in addition to permitting high strength gradient measurement. A small doped water phantom (1-3 mm droplet, T(1), T(2), T(2)* < 100 micros) within a microprobe is excited by a series of closely spaced broadband RF pulses each followed by FID single point acquisition. Two trial gradient waveforms have been chosen to illustrate the technique, neither of which could be measured by the conventional RF microprobe measurement. The first is an extended duration gradient waveform while the other illustrates the new method's ability to measure gradient waveforms with large net area and/or high amplitude. The new method is a point monitor with simple implementation and low cost hardware requirements.

Thin film MRI-high resolution depth imaging with a local surface coil and spin echo SPI.

A multiple echo, single point imaging technique, employing a local surface coil probe, is presented for examination of thin film samples. Depth images with a nominal resolution of 5 microm were acquired with acquisition times on the order of 10 min. The method may be used to observe dynamic phenomenon such as polymerization, wetting, and drying in thin film samples. It is readily adapted to spatially resolved diffusion coefficient and T2 relaxation time mapping.