New brain scanners allow patients to move naturally during measurements
Release date: 2018-03-28 Researchers from the Peter Mansfield Imaging Center at the University of Nottingham and the Wellcome Human Neuroimaging Center at the London Institute of Technology in the United Kingdom have developed a generation of brain scanners. The scanner can be worn on the head like a helmet, allowing the patient to move naturally around during the scan. It is part of Wellcome's five-year funding program and has the potential to revolutionize the field of human brain imaging. In a natural paper published today, researchers have shown that they can measure brain activity while people do natural movements, including nodding, stretching, drinking tea, and even playing table tennis. This new, lightweight magnetoencephalography (MEG) system is not only wearable, but also more sensitive than existing systems. Researchers hope that this new type of scanner will improve research and treatment for patients. Dr. Matt Brookes led the MEG work at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nottingham. He said: "This new technology provides an exciting new opportunity for a new generation of functional brain imaging that provides scanning for moving around them. New possibilities, such as measuring brain function or real social interaction in real-world tasks, not only for us to understand the function of healthy brains, but also for neurological, neurodegenerative and mental health conditions. †Brain cells operate and communicate by generating electrical current. These currents produce tiny magnetic fields that are detected outside the head. The researchers used MEG to measure these magnetic fields to map brain functions. The new technology allows us to get images in milliseconds to milliseconds, measuring which part of the brain is activated when the subject is performing different tasks, such as talking or moving. Traditional MEG scanners are large and weigh about half a ton. This is because the sensors used to measure the brain's magnetic field need to be kept very cold (-269 degrees Celsius), which requires a lot of cooling technology. When the existing scanner is in use, the patient must remain very quiet while being scanned, because even a 5 mm movement can make the image unusable. This means that it is difficult to scan people who are hard to keep quiet, such as young children or patients with movement disorders. It can also cause problems. When trying to capture events that rarely occur in the brain, such as seizures, you need a patient to remain still for a long time. This problem was solved in the new scanner, which was achieved by shrinking the technology and using a new "quantum" sensor that can be mounted in a 3D printed prototype helmet. Since the new sensors are very light and can be used at room temperature, they can be used directly on the scalp surface. Placing sensors close to the brain increases the amount of semaphore they can acquire. The lightweight nature of this new scanner also means that the subject can move the head for the first time during the scan. However, quantum sensors only work when the Earth's magnetic field is reduced by about 50,000. To solve this problem, the research team developed a special electromagnetic coil that helps reduce the Earth's magnetic field around the scanner. These coils are specifically designed to be placed on both sides of the subject and close to the walls of the room to ensure that the scanner environment does not produce claustrophobia. This helmet-based scanner delivers significant sensitivity and can be used to suit anyone who needs to scan. After the success of their prototype system, the researchers are working on a new helmet style that will have the appearance of a bicycle helmet that is suitable for all types of people, including babies and children, and adults. Researchers predict that this new type of scanner will increase adult sensitivity by a factor of four and potentially increase the number of babies to 15 or 20 times. Source: Health New Vision Dietary supplement Fufeng Sinuote Biotechnology Co.,Ltd. , https://www.sntbiology.com