Optimizing the white matter/grey matter contrast on a portable 46 mT MRI scanner

Motivation: Low-field MRI, known for its accessibility and portability, faces challenges in distinguishing grey matter (GM) from white matter (WM) due to lower signal-to-noise ratios and converging relaxation times. Goal(s): This study aimed to improve WM/GM contrast in low-field MRI using a T1-weighted sequence with short inversion time (TI). Approach: T1-weighted sequence with optimized TI (90ms) was used to enhance contrast maintaining good SNR. Other TIs and resolution were also tested. Results: Results showed consistently high WM/GM contrast across subjects and resolution, with an optimal TI of 90 ms balancing contrast and SNR. Impact: This study demonstrates that a T1-weighted sequence with optimized inversion time effectively enhances grey-to-white matter contrast in low-field MRI, offering reliable tissue differentiation for different subjects and resolutions.