Point-of-care magnetic resonance technology to measure liver fat: Phantom and first-in-human pilot study.

PURPOSE: To assess feasibility and accuracy of point-of-care (POC) NMR-proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in phantoms and in a human pilot study in a POC setting. METHODS: POC NMR (LiverScope, Livivos, San Diego CA) PDFF measurements were obtained of certified phantoms with known PDFF values (0%-40%). In an institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant prospective human study, a convenience sample of participants from an obesity clinic was enrolled (November 2020 to June 2021). The inclusion criteria required body mass index (BMI) = 27-40 kg/m2 and willingness to undergo POC NMR and MRI-PDFF measurements. Liver PDFF was measured by POC NMR and, within 35 days after, by a confounder corrected CSE MRI PDFF acquisition and reconstruction method. The adverse events were documented and linear regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: POC NMR-PDFF measurements agreed with known phantom PDFF values (R2  = 0.99). Fourteen participants were enrolled in the pilot human study. MRI-PDFF could not be obtained in 4 participants (claustrophobia reaction, n = 3, exceeded size of MR scanner bore, n = 1). POC NMR was unevaluable in 2 participants (insufficient signal penetration depth, n = 1, failure to comply with instructions, n = 1). Technical success was 11 of 13 (85%) for POC NMR PDFF. In 7 participants (4 female; 31-74 years old; median BMI 35 kg/m2 ), MRI-PDFF (range, 2.8%-18.1%), and POC NMR-PDFF (range, 3%-25.2%), agreed with R2  = 0.94. POC NMR had no adverse events. CONCLUSION: POC NMR measures PDFF accurately in phantoms and, in a first-in-human pilot study, is feasible and accurate in adults with obesity. Further testing to determine precision and accuracy across larger and more diverse cohorts is needed.

Single-coil, multisample, proton relaxation method for magnetic relaxation switch assays.

Nanoparticle based magnetic relaxation switch (MRSw) biosensors offer the opportunity to develop magnetic resonance based in vitro diagnostics. Critical attributes for point of care in vitro diagnostic products include simple instrumentation and ease of use. To this end, high-resolution biexponential analysis was used to permit measurement and assignment of two samples with a single radio frequency detection coil. This approach was used to calibrate and expand the dynamic range of MRSw biosensors in a single step. The potential for easy-to-use MRSw-based diagnostics was demonstrated by combining the method for single-step measurement of two samples with a disposable, plastic cartridge and dried MRSw reagents to obtain a calibrated reading after only two steps: mix and read. Taken together, our results suggest the feasibility of developing magnetic resonance based in vitro diagnostics that offer extreme ease of use and simple instrumentation.

Single sided imaging sensor.

A portable single sided sensor to render depth profiles of MR signal non-invasively is presented. The device utilizes a tailored permanent magnet array producing flat sensitive volumes up to 40 mm from the mobile inspection head. Automated slice selection is performed using a set of switched capacitors in the tuning and receiver circuits. A single channel spectrometer drives the multi-slice acquisition. The RF coil and magnet array geometries have been tailored to house gradient sets to further extend the image rendering capabilities for in-plane spatial resolution (2D and 3D MRI). The probe has been tested acquiring moisture profiles in concrete and porous rocks and measuring diffusion parameters on a phantom sample.