Mobile sensor for high resolution NMR spectroscopy and imaging

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance (1997) 2009-05, Vol.198 (1), p.80-87
• Main Authors: Danieli, Ernesto, Mauler, Jörg, Perlo, Juan, Blümich, Bernhard, Casanova, Federico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Citrus - anatomy & histology; Construction Materials; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Halbach array; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - instrumentation; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - statistics & numerical data; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - instrumentation; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - statistics & numerical data; Mobile NMR; MRI; Musa - anatomy & histology; NMR spectroscopy; Permanent magnet; Phantoms, Imaging
• ISSN: 1090-7807; 1096-0856
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2009.01.022

In this work we describe the construction of a mobile NMR tomograph with a highly homogeneous magnetic field. Fast MRI techniques as well as NMR spectroscopy measurements were carried out. The magnet is based on a Halbach array built from identical permanent magnet blocks generating a magnetic field of 0.22 T. To shim the field inhomogeneities inherent to magnet arrays constructed from these materials, a shim strategy based on the use of movable magnet blocks is employed. With this approach a reduction of the line-width from ∼20 kHz to less than 0.1 kHz was achieved, that is by more than two orders of magnitude, in a volume of 21 cm 3. Implementing a RARE sequence, 3D images of different objects placed in this volume were obtained in short experimental times. Moreover, by reducing the sample size to 1 cm 3, sub ppm resolution is obtained in 1H NMR spectra.