Exploring Magnetic Resonance Imaging at High and Low Fields-HiLo Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring Magnetic Resonance Imaging at High and Low Fields to support wider adoption in healthcare – HiLo Project.
IRAS ID
322000
Contact name
Amedeo Chiribiri
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
In clinical practice, 1.5T and 3T scanners are used widely. Recent additions such as 0.064T, 0.55T and 7T scanners are still precluded from mainstream use and adopted for research purposes only. This study will look at the use and adoption of these additions in clinical practice by analyzing data from their use and comparing with existing practice. Study will harness the diverse Imaging systems (diverse in terms of equipment manufacturer, field strength and other capability factors) to develop evidence-based methods that optimise individual system performance and maximise collective capability across field strengths. This will include; development of MRI techniques at Low and High Field Strengths for image acquisition and reconstruction, Investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) combined with the modification of existing MRI scanning sequences, the application of these in novel ways, the introduction of new sequences and novel methods for MR image reconstruction.
The aim is to enable optimal and consistent high image quality across the entire spectrum of MRI scanner field strengths currently available (low field strengths 0.064T and 0.55T, established 1.5T and 3T field strengths, and high field strength 7T) for wider dissemination in clinical diagnosis and assessment of disease progression.
HiLo project will address four key issues that could limit the adoption of diverse field strength MRI scanners in routine clinical practice:
1) Low signal to noise ratio (SNR) for low-field scanners.
2) Different contrast mechanisms at high and low field, in comparison with standard MR imaging systems.
3) Generalisation of AI-based image reconstruction algorithms.
4) Standardisation and equality of MRI techniques across a diverse portfolio of systems (including lower costs systems), leading to democratisation of healthcare.The project will involve the acquisition of diverse data from diverse patients with multiple indications from multiple body parts at multiple field strengths.
The study will not include the use of the 0.064T scanner at this time until the device is UKCA/CE marked, inclusion will be via an amendment after the pending certification is received.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
23/NS/0034
Date of REC Opinion
16 Apr 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion