Squid detected NMR and MRI at ultralow fields

Patent · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007

OSTI ID:909400

Clarke, John ^[1]; McDermott, Robert ^[2]; Pines, Alexander ^[1]; Trabesinger, Andreas Heinz ^[3]

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1. Berkeley, CA
2. Louisville, CO
3. CH-8006 Zurich, CH

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals are detected in microtesla fields. Prepolarization in millitesla fields is followed by detection with an untuned dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Because the sensitivity of the SQUID is frequency independent, both signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spectral resolution are enhanced by detecting the NMR signal in extremely low magnetic fields, where the NMR lines become very narrow even for grossly inhomogeneous measurement fields. MRI in ultralow magnetic field is based on the NMR at ultralow fields. Gradient magnetic fields are applied, and images are constructed from the detected NMR signals.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: United States Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• Assignee: Clarke, John (Berkeley, CA); McDermott, Robert (Louisville, CO); Pines, Alexander (Berkeley, CA); Trabesinger, Andreas Heinz (CH-8006 Zurich, CH)
• Patent Number(s): 7,218,104
• OSTI ID: 909400
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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