Abstract #2120

Development of a Tissue Susceptibility Matched Pyrolytic Graphite Foam for Improved Frequency Selective Fat Suppression in Breast MRI

Gary Chiaray Lee¹, Patrick Goodwill¹, Kevin Phuong², Brian Hargreaves³, Ben Inglis⁴, Steven Conolly^1,2

¹Berkeley/UCSF Joint Bioengineering Gradute Group, Berkeley, CA, USA; ²Bioengineering, UC Berkeley, USA; ³Radiology, Stanford University, USA; ⁴Henry Wheeler, Jr. Brain Imaging Center, UC Berkeley, USA

Robust frequency selective fat saturation techniques require uniform homogeneity of the B₀ field to correctly saturate the fat signal in MRI. Mismatched susceptibility boundaries in the body, such as those near the skin, can create steep field gradients that cannot be reliably shimmed. Here we develop tissue susceptibility matched pyrolytic graphite foams to reduce field gradients to less than 1 ppm in order to maintain a pristine field for proper frequency selective fat suppression for contrast-enhanced breast MRI. We also measure heating and conductivities to ensure clinical safety.