Feasibility of tracking involuntary head movement for MRI using a coil as a magnetic dipole in a time-varying gradient

Abstract

Accurate tracking involuntary head movements is fairly a challenging problem in MR imaging of the brain. Though there are few techniques available to monitor the head movement of the subject for a prospective motion correction, it is still an unsolved problem in MRI. In this theoretical study, we aim to describe an analytical investigation to track head movement inside an MR scanner by calculating the change in induced voltage in the head-mounted coils during the execution of time-varying gradients. We derive an expression to calculate the change in induced voltage in a coil placed in a time-varying gradient. We also derive a general equation to investigate the changes in the induced voltage in a set of coils mounted onto the head for the planar position and orientation of the coils. Each coil is considered as a magnetic dipole with location and sensitivity vectors. The changes of the vectors can track the head movement in the MR scanner by measuring the changes in the induced voltage in the coils. The dipole concept is valid for a wide range of coils. The changes in induced voltage in the coils are linear due to small changes in pose of the head. Movement parameters are estimated from the induced voltage changes. If the random noise voltage is less than 100 μV, it does not significantly affect movement parameters because the change in induced voltage in the coils dominates over the small noise voltage. This method and array of the coils may provide a real-life solution to the long-standing problem of head motion during MRI.