A feasibility study of magnetic resonance driven electrical impedance tomography using a phantom

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Electrical properties of human tissue are crucial for diagnosing conditions like cancer and monitoring organ function.
• Traditional electrical impedance tomography requires current injection, which can be invasive or limited in application.
• Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging offers a non-invasive modality for visualizing biological structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel method, magnetic resonance driven electrical impedance tomography (MRDEIT), for imaging tissue electrical properties.
• To assess the feasibility of MRDEIT for non-invasively mapping electrical conductivity and permittivity.
• To explore MRDEIT's potential as an adjunct diagnostic tool in medicine.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the magnetic resonance phenomenon to induce electrical currents within the human body.
• Employing inverse computation to derive complex permittivity maps from modeled electric fields and surface electrode measurements.
• Conducting computer simulations and phantom experiments to evaluate image reconstruction accuracy and noise resilience.

Main Results:

• Computer simulations demonstrated discernible contrast in reconstructed images with noise levels below 20%.
• Phantom experiments corroborated simulation findings, supporting the viability of the MRDEIT technique.
• Experimental evaluation revealed an electrode measurement noise level of approximately 7.8%, indicating high potential for conductivity contrast reconstruction.

Conclusions:

• MRDEIT successfully images electrical properties of human tissue non-invasively using MR scanners.
• The technique shows promise for providing new contrast mechanisms for medical diagnostics, particularly for cancer detection.
• Further advancements in hardware and reconstruction algorithms could enhance MRDEIT's clinical utility for various medical applications.