Hybrid system calibration for multidimensional magnetic particle imaging.

Magnetic particle imaging visualizes the spatial distribution of superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Because of its key features of excellent sensitivity, high temporal and spatial resolution and biocompatibility of the tracer material it can be used in multiple medical imaging applications. The common reconstruction technique for Lissajous-type trajectories uses a system matrix that has to be previously acquired in a time-consuming calibration scan, leading to long downtimes of the scanning device. In this work, the system matrix is determined by a hybrid approach. Using the hybrid system matrix for reconstruction, the calibration downtime of the scanning device can be neglected. Furthermore, the signal to noise ratio of the hybrid system matrix is much higher, since the size of the required nanoparticle sample can be chosen independently of the desired voxel size. As the signal to noise ratio influences the reconstruction process, the resulting images have better resolution and are less affected by artefacts. Additionally, a new approach is introduced to address the background signal in image reconstruction. The common technique of subtraction of the background signal is replaced by extending the system matrix with an entry that represents the background. It is shown that this approach reduces artefacts in the reconstructed images.

Two dimensional magnetic particle spectrometry.

Magnetic particle spectrometry (MPS) is an excellent and straight forward method to determine the response of magnetic nanoparticles to an oscillating magnetic field. Such fields are applied in magnetic particle imaging (MPI). However, state of the art MPS devices lack the ability to excite particles in multidimensional field sequences that are present in MPI devices. Especially the particle behavior caused by Lissajous sequences cannot be measured with only one excitation direction. This work presents a new kind of MPS which features two excitation directions to overcome this limitation. Both field coils can drive AC as well as DC currents and are thereby able to emulate the field sequences for arbitrary spatial positions inside an MPI device. Since the DC currents can be switched very fast, the device can be used as system calibration unit and acquire system matrices in very short time. These are crucial for MPI image reconstruction. As the signal-to-noise-ratio provided by the MPS is approximately 1000 times higher than that of actual imaging devices, the time space analysis of particle signals is more precise and easier done. Four system matrices are presented in this paper which have been measured with the realized multidimensional MPS. Additionally, a time space comparison of the particle signal for Lissajous, radial and spiral trajectories is given.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Historical note.

Ibn Sina (often known by his last name in Latin, Avicenna; 980-1037 A.D.) was the most famous physician and philosopher of his time. His Canon of Medicine, one of the most famous books in the history of medicine, surveyed the entire medical knowledge available from ancient and Muslim sources and provided his own contributions. In this article the authors present a unique picture of the neurosurgical technique of Ibn Sina and briefly summarize his life and work.