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In vivo imaging of electrical properties of an animal tumor model with an 8‐channel transceiver array at 7 T using electrical properties tomography
Author(s) -
Liu Jiaen,
Shao Qi,
Wang Yicun,
Adriany Gregor,
Bischof John,
Van de Moortele PierreFrancois,
He Bin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.26609
Subject(s) - imaging phantom , magnetic resonance imaging , in vivo , materials science , nuclear magnetic resonance , biomedical engineering , tomography , electromagnetic coil , radiofrequency coil , preclinical imaging , nuclear medicine , physics , optics , medicine , radiology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , quantum mechanics
Purpose To develop and evaluate a technique for imaging electrical properties ((EPs), conductivity and permittivity) of an animal tumor model in vivo using MRI. Methods Electrical properties were reconstructed from the calculated EP gradient, which was derived using two sets of measured transmit B 1 magnitude and relative phase maps with the sample and radiofrequency (RF) coil oriented in the positive and negative z‐directions, respectively. An eight‐channel transceiver microstrip array RF coil fitting the size of the animal was developed for generating and mapping B 1 fields to reconstruct EPs. The technique was evaluated at 7 tesla using a physical phantom and in vivo on two Copenhagen rats with subcutaneously implanted AT‐1 rat prostate cancer on a hind limb. Results The reconstructed EPs in the phantom experiment was in good agreement with the target EP map determined by a dielectric probe. Reconstructed conductivity map of the animals revealed the boundary between tumor and healthy tissue consistent with the boundary indicated by T 1 ‐weighted MRI. Conclusion A technique for imaging EP of an animal tumor model using MRI has been developed with high sensitivity, accuracy, and resolution, as demonstrated in the phantom experiment. Further animal experiments are needed to demonstrate its translational value for tumor diagnosis. Magn Reson Med 78:2157–2169, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.