Scottish tech firms join forces to produce groundbreaking MRI scanner

Two Glasgow-based firms have collaborated to produce a groundbreaking MRI scanner which aims to provide new insights into brain disease research.

Leading product design consultancy Wideblue joined forces with MR CoilTech, to create the high-density radiofrequency (RF) head coil technology which has successfully completed its first trial at the University of California, Berkeley.

The head coil design, a first of its kind, utilizes 16-channel transmit and 96-channel receive RF architecture. The new prototype high-density head coil combines with the NexGen 7T scanner capabilities to enable high resolution full brain imaging to support studies of the cerebal cortex at an unprecedented microscale resolution -- boosting the image resolution by a factor of 20 than current 7T MRI. The project aims to provide new insights into brain disease research and will provide a large visual field for the neuroscientists to carry out functional-MRI studies.

Russell Overend, CEO of Wideblue, said: "When completed, the project will break through barriers in the field of brain disease research by introducing unprecedented levels of detail in brain imaging which could lead to innovative new treatments."

Dr Shajan Gunamony, Director, MR CoilTech, added: "We are delighted with the work Wideblue did on the CAD design of the prototype and with the excellent initial results. It allowed us to meet the deadline for an important abstract submission and we look forward to making more progress with this ground breaking new product."