This construction may look like a child’s toy or a new type of bicycle helmet. In fact, however, it helps to make MRI brain scans sharper, faster and cheaper.
Metamaterials are an integral part of today’s science. Among other things, they help to manipulate sound or electromagnetic waves. The metamaterials consist of many small elements that are quite unspectacular on their own. It is only through the combination of these microstructures and a special arrangement that they acquire their special properties.
A team led by Ke Wu from Boston University now saw the possibility of improving the results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in such a structure. To do this, they use a composition of individual copper coils that are connected to one another via 3D-printed elements. The special thing about this: The distance between the coils can be flexibly varied using adjusting screws. In this way, the system can be adapted to the resonance frequency of the MRT, as this is related to the variably used wavelength of the device.
To achieve this, Ke Wu and his team first developed the structure in a flat configuration. Now they have turned this into a wearable helmet. This is to be used in brain scans and amplify the electromagnetic waves in a targeted manner. According to initial measurements by the researchers, this seems to be successful: In their tests, they were able to reduce the noise in the MRI result by a factor of 4.5 using the meta helmet.
According to the scientists, the amplification of the measuring waves also meant that the scan was completed much faster. The meta-structure could therefore help physicians and radiologists to not only work more precisely, but also more cost-effectively. Wu’s team believes that the technology can be of great help, especially in developing countries, where outdated or cheaper MRI models are often used. However, due to the meta structure, they could still deliver a high-quality image.