Stretchable, wearable coils may make MRI, other medical tests easier on patients

[Judi Lynn]

26-FEB-2020
PURDUE UNIVERSITY

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Anyone who has had a mammogram or an MRI knows how uncomfortable and awkward the tests can be. Now, Purdue University researchers have taken technology used in the defense and aerospace industries to create a novel way of doing some medical imaging.

One reason the tests are uncomfortable is that they often use rigid radio-frequency (RF) coils to detect signals from the body. Now, the Purdue team has developed RF coils that are formable and stretchable.

"Imagine going for an imaging session and they strap on a comfortable fabric with the coils embedded inside," said Joseph Rispoli, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering in Purdue's College of Engineering. "We created an adaptable, wearable and stretchable fabric embroidered with conductive threads that provides excellent signal-to-noise ratio for enhanced MRI scanning."

. . .

Current approaches to enhancing signal-to-noise ratio, known as SNR, include shaping receive coil arrays to encompass a generalized form of the body part of interest, but these are often rigid and require the patient be posed in a specific way. The Purdue flexible and stretchable coil could be placed close to the skin on an area or joint, regardless of its positioning.

More:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/pu-swc022520.php

[lostnfound]

1. That's terrific and perhaps gives a wide angle view Vs flat image? Nt

[TexasProgresive]

2. I am a little skeptical about this article.

I was unsuccessful in finding a scholarly paper on the the use of fabric embedded coils for MRIs. The closest I could find was from 2015 "A Switched-Mode Breast Coil for 7 T MRI Using Forced-Current Excitation," published by IEEEXPLORE.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7045544?arnumber=7045544

There may be new developments leading to a wearable fabric with embedded coils. I am not familiar with the current breast coils i use for MRI imaging so this will probably be more comfortable. My difficulty with the Eureka article is the lack of real facts and references to the scientific documents.

We see a lot of reports of the newest, latest, great thing being hyped when in is in early stages of development. Perhaps promising but often never coming to fruition.

It is not fake news. It is the reporting of research as a fait accompli that is problematic.

Anything that makes uncomfortable medical procedures more comfortable is wonderful.

[mitch96]

3. When I was doing MRI years ago the problem was the proximity of the coil to the skin

If it got too close you got a burn.... I'm curious how they would prevent burns..
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