Abstract: Aspects relate to providing radio frequency components responsive to magnetic resonance signals. According to some aspects, a radio frequency component comprises at least one coil having a conductor arranged in a plurality of turns oriented about a region of interest to respond to corresponding magnetic resonant signal components. According to some aspects, the radio frequency component comprises a plurality of coils oriented to respond to corresponding magnetic resonant signal components. According to some aspects, an optimization is used to determine a configuration for at least one radio frequency coil.

Abstract: A method of producing a permanent magnet shim configured to improve a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The method comprises determining deviation of the B0 magnetic field from a desired B0 magnetic field, determining a magnetic pattern that, when applied to magnetic material, produces a corrective magnetic field that corrects for at least some of the determined deviation, and applying the magnetic pattern to the magnetic material to produce the permanent magnet shim. According to some aspects, a permanent magnet shim for improving a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The permanent magnet shim comprises magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic pattern applied thereto that produces a corrective magnetic field to improve the profile of the B0 magnetic field.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing noise in RF signal chain circuitry for a low-field magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. A switching circuit in the RF signal chain circuitry may include at least one field effect transistor (FET) configured to operate as an RF switch at an operating frequency of less than 10 MHz. A decoupling circuit may include tuning circuitry coupled across inputs of an amplifier and active feedback circuitry coupled between an output of the amplifier and an input of the amplifier, wherein the active feedback circuitry includes a feedback capacitor configured to reduce a quality factor of an RF coil coupled to the amplifier.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing noise in RF signal chain circuitry for a low-field magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. A switching circuit in the RF signal chain circuitry may include at least one field effect transistor (FET) configured to operate as an RF switch at an operating frequency of less than 10 MHz. A decoupling circuit may include tuning circuitry coupled across inputs of an amplifier and active feedback circuitry coupled between an output of the amplifier and an input of the amplifier, wherein the active feedback circuitry includes a feedback capacitor configured to reduce a quality factor of an RF coil coupled to the amplifier.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for operating a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to perform diffusion weighted imaging, the low-field MRI system including a plurality of magnetics components including a B0 magnet configured to produce a low-field main magnetic field B0, at least one gradient coil configured to, when operated, provide spatial encoding of emitted magnetic resonance signals, and at least one radio frequency (RF) component configured to acquire, when operated, the emitted magnetic resonance signals. The method comprises controlling one or more of the plurality of magnetics components in accordance with at least one pulse sequence having a diffusion-weighted gradient encoding period followed by multiple echo periods during which magnetic resonance signals are produced and detected, wherein at least two of the multiple echo periods correspond to respective encoded echoes having an opposite gradient polarity.

Abstract: According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable medical imaging device, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, inhibit encroachment within a physical boundary with respect to the portable medical imaging device. According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable magnetic resonance imaging system, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, demarcate a boundary within which a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field generated by the portable magnetic resonance imaging system equals or exceeds a given threshold.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a portable magnetic resonance imaging system is provided, comprising a magnetics system having a plurality of magnetics components configured to produce magnetic fields for performing magnetic resonance imaging. The magnetics system comprises a permanent B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, and a plurality of gradient coils configured to, when operated, generate magnetic fields to provide spatial encoding of emitted magnetic resonance signals, a power system comprising one or more power components configured to provide power to the magnetics system to operate the magnetic resonance imaging system to perform image acquisition, and a base that supports the magnetics system and houses the power system, the base comprising at least one conveyance mechanism allowing the portable magnetic resonance imaging system to be transported to different locations.

Abstract: Aspects relate to providing radio frequency components responsive to magnetic resonance signals. According to some aspects, a radio frequency component comprises at least one coil having a conductor arranged in a plurality of turns oriented about a region of interest to respond to corresponding magnetic resonant signal components. According to some aspects, the radio frequency component comprises a plurality of coils oriented to respond to corresponding magnetic resonant signal components. According to some aspects, an optimization is used to determine a configuration for at least one radio frequency coil.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method of determining change in size of an abnormality in a brain of a patient positioned within a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. The method comprises, while the patient remains positioned within the low-field MRI device, acquiring first and second magnetic resonance (MR) image data of the patient's brain; providing the first and second MR image data as input to a trained statistical classifier to obtain corresponding first and second output; identifying, using the first output, at least one initial value of at least one feature indicative of a size of the abnormality; identifying, using the second output, at least one updated value of the at least one feature; determining the change in the size of the abnormality using the at least one initial value of the at least one feature and the at least one updated value of the at least one feature.

Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling components of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system with a single controller, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), by dynamically instructing the controller to issue commands to the components using a processor coupled to the controller. According to some aspects, the controller may issue commands to the components of the MRI system whilst actively receiving commands from the processor to be later issued to the components.

Abstract: According to some aspects a system is provided comprising a low-field magnetic resonance (MR) device, at least one electrophysiological device, and at least one controller configured to operate the low-field MR device to obtain MR data and to operate the at least one electrophysiological device to obtain electrophysiological data.

Abstract: Some aspects include a method of detecting change in biological subject matter of a patient positioned within a low-field magnetic resonance imaging device, the method comprising: while the patient remains positioned within the low-field magnetic resonance device: acquiring first magnetic resonance image data of a portion of the patient; acquiring second magnetic resonance image data of the portion of the patient subsequent to acquiring the first magnetic resonance image data; aligning the first magnetic resonance image data and the second magnetic resonance image data; and comparing the aligned first magnetic resonance image data and second magnetic resonance image data to detect at least one change in the biological subject matter of the portion of the patient.

Abstract: A method of producing a permanent magnet shim configured to improve a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The method comprises determining deviation of the B0 magnetic field from a desired B0 magnetic field, determining a magnetic pattern that, when applied to magnetic material, produces a corrective magnetic field that corrects for at least some of the determined deviation, and applying the magnetic pattern to the magnetic material to produce the permanent magnet shim. According to some aspects, a permanent magnet shim for improving a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The permanent magnet shim comprises magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic pattern applied thereto that produces a corrective magnetic field to improve the profile of the B0 magnetic field.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a method of producing a permanent magnet shim configured to improve a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The method comprises determining deviation of the B0 magnetic field from a desired B0 magnetic field, determining a magnetic pattern that, when applied to magnetic material, produces a corrective magnetic field that corrects for at least some of the determined deviation, and applying the magnetic pattern to the magnetic material to produce the permanent magnet shim. According to some aspects, a permanent magnet shim for improving a profile of a B0 magnetic field produced by a B0 magnet is provided. The permanent magnet shim comprises magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic pattern applied thereto that produces a corrective magnetic field to improve the profile of the B0 magnetic field.

Abstract: In some aspects, a method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a B0 magnet and at least one thermal management component configured to transfer heat away from the B0 magnet during operation is provided. The method comprises providing operating power to the B0 magnet, monitoring a temperature of the B0 magnet to determine a current temperature of the B0 magnet, and operating the at least one thermal management component at less than operational capacity in response to an occurrence of at least one event.

Abstract: According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable medical imaging device, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, inhibit encroachment within a physical boundary with respect to the portable medical imaging device. According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable magnetic resonance imaging system, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, demarcate a boundary within which a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field generated by the portable magnetic resonance imaging system equals or exceeds a given threshold.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a portable magnetic resonance imaging system is provided, comprising a B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 magnetic field for an imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system, a noise reduction system configured to detect and suppress at least some electromagnetic noise in an operating environment of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system, and electromagnetic shielding provided to attenuate at least some of the electromagnetic noise in the operating environment of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system, the electromagnetic shielding arranged to shield a fraction of the imaging region of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system. According to some aspects, the electromagnetic shield comprises at least one electromagnetic shield structure adjustably coupled to the housing to provide electromagnetic shielding for the imaging region in an amount that can be varied.

Abstract: A low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The system includes a plurality of magnetics components comprising at least one first magnetics component configured to produce a low-field main magnetic field B0 and at least one second magnetics component configured to acquire magnetic resonance data when operated, and at least one controller configured to operate one or more of the plurality of magnetics components in accordance with at least one low-field zero echo time (LF-ZTE) pulse sequence.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a low-field magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The low-field magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnetics system having a plurality of magnetics components configured to produce magnetic fields for performing magnetic resonance imaging, the magnetics system comprising, a B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 field for the magnetic resonance imaging system at a low-field strength of less than 0.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a portable magnetic resonance imaging system is provided, comprising a B0 magnet configured to produce a B0 magnetic field for an imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system, a noise reduction system configured to detect and suppress at least some electromagnetic noise in an operating environment of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system, and electromagnetic shielding provided to attenuate at least some of the electromagnetic noise in the operating environment of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system, the electromagnetic shielding arranged to shield a fraction of the imaging region of the portable magnetic resonance imaging system. According to some aspects, the electromagnetic shield comprises at least one electromagnetic shield structure adjustably coupled to the housing to provide electromagnetic shielding for the imaging region in an amount that can be varied.