Entry Date:
November 7, 2005

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Group (MRI)

Principal Investigator Elfar Adalsteinsson

Co-investigators Bruce Rosen , John Gabrieli

Project Website http://www.rle.mit.edu/mri/


The RLE Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Group conducts investigations in medical imaging with MRI technology, focusing on optimal methods for acquisition, reconstruction and processing of in vivo imaging data. The group's interests include techniques for efficient sampling and spatial encoding of spectroscopic magnetic resonance data, whereby small signals, originating, for example, specifically from neurons in the brain, yield information not observed with conventional structural imaging. Applications of these and related methods include a study of the progression of Alzheimer's disease and characterization of multiple sclerosis.

Research areas include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for medical imaging, focusing on methods for acquisition, reconstruction, and processing with applications to human disease. Currently, we pursue research in three areas: (1) Radio-frequency (RF) excitation on multiple, simultaneous channels; (2) High-field spectroscopic magnetic resonance imaging (MRSI); and (3) Magnetic nanoparticle contrast manipulation in MRI. The group consists of EECS and HST graduate and MD students, along with several collaborating faculty and students who are associated with MIT and with the HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital, (or briefly, the Martinos Center.)

The group are members of the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST). The Martinos Center is unique in its scope and variety of imaging resources, including a 7 Tesla human MRI scanner, two 3 Tesla whole-body systems with insert gradients, and three high-field animal scanners. In addition, the Martinos Center has presence on MIT campus with a wholebody, 3T human imager that mirrors the comparable software and hardware platforms in Charlestown.

Support for work includes startup funds from HST and EECS; equipment, engineering expertise, and software training from Siemens Medical Solutions; equipment support from the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging; NIH NCRR (P41RR14075); the MIND Institute. Collaborators on ferrofluid research received support from the Thomas and Gerd Perkins Chair. Professor Adalsteinsson receives generous support through the Robert J. Shillman career development award.