Dielectric enhanced MRI (MRI)

Themes: Biomedical signal processing/wavefield imaging

The objective of the project is to improve the quality of clinical magnetic resonance imaging in the abdomen by developing methods to optimize the design of high permittivity pads which are placed around the patient. This approach is directly applicable to diseases of the liver, kidneys, prostate and spine, as well as for scanning during pregnancy. Obtaining a fundamental understanding of the behaviour of these new high permittivity materials will enable significant further improvements in image quality and diagnostic accuracy.

Since the approach can be used on all types of MRI systems and is easy to implement it represents a very simple yet extremely effective, low-cost method of improving MRI across the world. This method is also able to improve the quality of neuroimaging at very high magnetic fields, which represents the cutting edge in MRI technology.