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Inflection Points in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology-35 Years of Collaborative Research and Development
Michael L Wood1, Mark A Griswold, Mark Henkelman
1From the *Office of Research & Innovation, North York General Hospital and Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; †Departmentof Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; ‡Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and §Department of Radiology Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Investigative Radiology
|May 19, 2015
Summary
Advancements in clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology are driven by interdisciplinary collaboration, academic-industry partnerships, and hardware-enabled software. These forces shape current MRI systems and future innovations.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging Technology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology has undergone rapid advancement.
- This progress is influenced by key driving forces shaping its development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the key technological developments in clinical MRI.
- To explore emerging trends and future directions in MRI technology.
- To analyze the impact of specific driving forces on MRI innovation.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and current MRI technological developments.
- Analysis of the influence of interdisciplinary collaboration, academic-industry partnerships, and hardware-software integration.
- Identification of key MRI system attributes and their evolution.
Main Results:
- Key developments include improved magnet technology (wider, shorter, stronger), specialty magnets, hybrid devices, advancements in k-space utilization, and phased-array coils with parallel imaging.
- Innovations in user interface design and the exploitation of motion-induced phase shifts for novel applications are highlighted.
- The review connects these developments to the three identified driving forces.
Conclusions:
- The continued evolution of clinical MRI technology is intrinsically linked to interdisciplinary collaboration, academic-industry synergy, and the synergy between hardware and software.
- These forces will continue to drive innovation and shape the future of productive clinical MRI applications.
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