A digital receiver module with direct data acquisition for magnetic resonance imaging systems.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Electrical Engineering
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Traditional MRI receivers face challenges in integration and phase coherence.
• Advancements in mixed-signal circuit design offer opportunities for improved MRI hardware.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel digital receiver module for MRI with detailed hardware implementations.
• To demonstrate a direct sampling scheme utilizing advanced mixed-signal circuit design.
• To achieve precise phase synchronization for enhanced MRI performance.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a digital receiver module based on a direct sampling scheme.
• Utilization of a single field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for software-based digital down conversion.
• Development of an effective phase synchronization method for maintaining phase coherence.
• Modular architecture design for multi-channel acquisition on a printed circuit board.

Main Results:

• The digital receiver module successfully performed digital down conversion of radio frequency signals.
• An effective phase synchronization method achieved a phase deviation as small as 0.09°.
• Experimental verification on low- (0.5 T) and high-field (1.5 T) MRI scanners confirmed module performance.
• Comparison with a commercial MRI receiver system validated the proposed design.

Conclusions:

• The presented digital receiver module offers a high-performance, integrated solution for MRI systems.
• The direct sampling scheme and phase synchronization method are effective for advanced MRI applications.
• The modular design facilitates scalability and implementation in various MRI field strengths.