Design and comissioning of a new field-cycling imaging scanner for clinical applications

Motivation: Field-cycling imaging is a new imaging technique that allows access to new imaging biomarkers. To allow investigation of clinical applications a high performance and patient acceptable scanner is needed. Goal(s): We have constructed a new clinical-grade resistive field-cycling imaging system operating at 0.2 T with a 60 cm bore and high performance gradient and magnet amplifiers, with a custom made outer covering. Approach: The system is in the late stage of commissioning. The field homogeneity and temporal stability have been assessed. Results: The final system is visually attractive and has < 1 ppm temporal stability and < 8 ppm field homogeneity. Impact: This system will allow us to investigate the clinical utility of field-cycling and low-field imaging in a much larger patient population. The high performance gradient amplifiers will enable much faster imaging, which will enable new possibilities for new sequence development.