First ground-based, high-field, cryogen-free, mobile intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging system

Accurately targeting specific regions of interest in the brain is pivotal for the success of neurosurgical procedures. For example, the outcome of brain tumor resection is improved dramatically when surgeons are better able to define surgical borders. Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) helps reduce the risk of damaging critical areas of the brain and makes it possible to confirm a successful resection or determine the need for further resection prior to closing a patient's head and finalizing the surgery. Here we present a ground-based, iMRI system with a mobile 1-T cryogen-free imager.

An ex-vivo experimental test of the novel iMRI system is performed to demonstrate preoperative and intraoperative imaging.

The ground-based, mobile iMRI system presented here was successfully used to obtain intraoperative MR images without moving the imaging target or compromising conventional surgical techniques.

The success of this experiment constitutes a major milestone towards the installation of a ground-based, high-field, mobile iMRI system in a hospital setting.