8,567 research outputs found
Dosimetric evidence confirms computational model for magnetic field induced dose distortions of therapeutic proton beams
Given the sensitivity of proton therapy to anatomical variations, this cancer
treatment modality is expected to benefit greatly from integration with
magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. One of the obstacles hindering such an
integration are strong magnetic field induced dose distortions. These have been
predicted in simulation studies, but no experimental validation has been
performed so far. Here we show the first measurement of planar distributions of
dose deposited by therapeutic proton pencil beams traversing a one-Tesla
transversal magnetic field while depositing energy in a tissue-like phantom
using film dosimetry. The lateral beam deflection ranges from one millimeter to
one centimeter for 80 to 180 MeV beams. Simulated and measured deflection agree
within one millimeter for all studied energies. These results proof that the
magnetic field induced proton beam deflection is both measurable and accurately
predictable. This demonstrates the feasibility of accurate dose measurement and
hence validates dose predictions for the framework of MR-integrated proton
therapy
Magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond
The isolated electronic spin system of the Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centre in
diamond offers unique possibilities to be employed as a nanoscale sensor for
detection and imaging of weak magnetic fields. Magnetic imaging with nanometric
resolution and field detection capabilities in the nanotesla range are enabled
by the atomic-size and exceptionally long spin-coherence times of this
naturally occurring defect. The exciting perspectives that ensue from these
characteristics have triggered vivid experimental activities in the emerging
field of "NV magnetometry". It is the purpose of this article to review the
recent progress in high-sensitivity nanoscale NV magnetometry, generate an
overview of the most pertinent results of the last years and highlight
perspectives for future developments. We will present the physical principles
that allow for magnetic field detection with NV centres and discuss first
applications of NV magnetometers that have been demonstrated in the context of
nano magnetism, mesoscopic physics and the life sciences.Comment: Review article, 28 pages, 16 figure
Control of magnetotactic bacterium in a micro-fabricated maze
We demonstrate the closed-loop control of a magnetotactic bacterium (MTB), i.e., Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum, within a micro-fabricated maze using a magneticbased manipulation system. The effect of the channel wall on the motion of the MTB is experimentally analyzed. This analysis is done by comparing the characteristics of the transient- and steady-states of the controlled MTB inside and outside a microfabricated maze. In this analysis, the magnetic dipole moment of our MTB is characterized using a motile technique (the u-turn technique), then used in the realization of a closed-loop control system. This control system allows the MTB to reach reference positions within a micro-fabricated maze with a channel width of 10 μm, at a velocity of 8 μm/s. Further, the control system positions the MTB within a region-of-convergence of 10 μm in diameter. Due to the effect of the channel wall, we observe that the velocity and the positioning accuracy of the MTB are decreased and increased by 71% and 44%, respectively
MR-guided endovascular interventions: a comprehensive review on techniques and applications
The magnetic resonance (MR) guidance of endovascular interventions is probably one of the greatest challenges of clinical MR research. MR angiography is not only an imaging tool for the vasculature but can also simultaneously depict high tissue contrast, including the differentiation of the vascular wall and perivascular tissues, as well as vascular function. Several hurdles had to be overcome to allow MR guidance for endovascular interventions. MR hardware and sequence design had to be developed to achieve acceptable patient access and to allow real-time or near real-time imaging. The development of interventional devices, both applicable and safe for MR imaging (MRI), was also mandatory. The subject of this review is to summarize the latest developments in real-time MRI hardware, MRI, visualization tools, interventional devices, endovascular tracking techniques, actual applications and safety issue
Analytical method to measure three-dimensional strain patterns in the left ventricle from single slice displacement data
Background:
Displacement encoded Cardiovascular MR (CMR) can provide high spatial resolution measurements of three-dimensional (3D) Lagrangian displacement. Spatial gradients of the Lagrangian displacement field are used to measure regional myocardial strain. In general, adjacent parallel slices are needed in order to calculate the spatial gradient in the through-slice direction. This necessitates the acquisition of additional data and prolongs the scan time. The goal of this study is to define an analytic solution that supports the reconstruction of the out-of-plane components of the Lagrangian strain tensor in addition to the in-plane components from a single-slice displacement CMR dataset with high spatio-temporal resolution. The technique assumes incompressibility of the myocardium as a physical constraint.
Results:
The feasibility of the method is demonstrated in a healthy human subject and the results are compared to those of other studies. The proposed method was validated with simulated data and strain estimates from experimentally measured DENSE data, which were compared to the strain calculation from a conventional two-slice acquisition.
Conclusion:
This analytical method reduces the need to acquire data from adjacent slices when calculating regional Lagrangian strains and can effectively reduce the long scan time by a factor of two
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