Design of a new MRE transducer - placed between tissue and coil

Motivation: Design of a compact MRE transducer prototype that fits between patient and coil for direct stimulation of tissue. Goal(s): The main goal of this study is to design and construct a new MRE transducer that can independently vary frequency and amplitude, is free of any magnetic parts and is suitable for cardiac MRE. Approach: Using computer aided design (CAD) and different manufacturing processes, a functional transducer prototype was built that transforms pressurized air into gravitational force. Results: A prototype that can induce tissue vibrations is presented. Its effectivity was verified by acceleration and phantom measurements. Impact: The transducer induces waves whose amplitude and frequency can be selected independently. Its shape minimizes the distance between coil and patient for reducing MR signal losses with a comparatively large surface area for efficient wave transmission, optimized for cardiac MRE.