A portable, submersible, MR sensor - The Proteus magnet

Michael M B Ross; Grant R Wilbur; Prisciliano F de J Cano Barrita; Bruce J Balcom

doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2021.106964

A portable, submersible, MR sensor - The Proteus magnet

J Magn Reson. 2021 May:326:106964. doi: 10.1016/j.jmr.2021.106964. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Authors

Michael M B Ross¹, Grant R Wilbur², Prisciliano F de J Cano Barrita³, Bruce J Balcom⁴

Affiliations

¹ UNB MRI Centre, Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada. Electronic address: Mross3@unb.ca.
² UNB MRI Centre, Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada. Electronic address: grant.wlbr@unb.ca.
³ Instituto Politecnico Nacional-CIIDIR Unidad Oaxaca, Hornos 1003, Sta. Cruz Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, Mexico. Electronic address: pcano@ipn.mx.
⁴ UNB MRI Centre, Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada. Electronic address: bjb@unb.ca.

PMID: 33773442
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2021.106964

Abstract

This paper details the design, fabrication, and testing of a new portable magnet, generically termed the Proteus magnet, that can undertake a wide range of MR measurements. The Proteus magnet is intended for ¹H measurements of liquids and is fully functional when submersed in the sample of interest. The Proteus magnet is fabricated from a pair of low-cost, commercial, NdFeB disk magnets, axially polarized, with their North and South poles aligned. The two N52 NdFeB magnets - 31.75 mm diameter and 6.35 mm thickness were separated by 10 mm. The gap between the magnets is sufficient for a RF shield and transverse rectangular solenoid RF probe. The sensor was evaluated through a series of measurements including bulk CPMG, saturation recovery T₁, self-diffusion, T₁ - T₂, and D - T₂.

Keywords: CPMG; D – T(2); Diffusion; Dipole magnets; Immersion sensor; Magnetic resonance; Portable NMR; Proteus; T(1) – T(2).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't