MR at ultra-high field offers new insight into the relationship between structure and function of the human body.
MR is a widely adopted clinical imaging modality due to its superior soft tissue contrast, high spatial and temporal resolution and functional contrast mechanisms. Conventional MR is conducted at magnetic fields strenghts up to around 3 Tesla. Recently human MR scanners operating at 7 Tesla have been introduced. The increase in magnetic field enables the visualization of even finer structures, but comes with some technological challenges that will be the focal point of a new collaboration between DTU Health Technology, DTU Electrical Engineering and Eindhoven University of Technology.
Increased interactions at high-field MR cause images to show severe shading and poor quality over large areas unless fully compensated. Associate Professor Esben Thade Petersen works in a shared clinical position between DTU Health Technology and Hvidovre Hospital, which is hosting the Danish National 7 Tesla MR facility (http://www.drcmr.dk/resources/national-7t). He will collaborate with Assistant Professor Irena Zivkovic from Eindhoven University of Technology and Associate Professor Vitaliy Zhurbenko from DTU Electrical Engineering on a new advanced MR coil design invented by Dr. Zivkovic. With the new coil concept, the partners expect to gain better field control and thereby unleash the full potential of MR at ultra-high field.
DTU Health Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology will each employ a PhD student to work together on the project. As part of the project, both students will do a long-term secondment with the partnering university in order to get a direct and hands-on collaboration, exchanging skills and know-how and gaining access to advanced instrumentation and facilities.
The PhD positions at DTU and Eindhoven will be announced shortly.
The project is funded by the two collaborating universities.