Sensitivity Limits in Biomagnetic Measurements

Abstract

It is important to understand the character and the contribution of thermal magnetic noise in designing the measurement site and the instrumentation for biomagnetic measurements. The ultimate limit of the sensitivity is the thermal noise due to the object under study. In the case of the human body, it has been estimated to be about 0.1/square root of Hz. Magnetically shielded rooms are necessary for ultrasensitive biomagnetic measurements of human subject, but they also generate external noise which in some cases may become detectable. This noise problem can be avoided if the innermost walls are constructed of magnetically soft ferromagnetic material. Close to the conducting walls the thermal noise is higher than at the centre. Thus, the shielded room should be relatively large in size. The gantry and other things inside the room may contain metal parts, which can cause excess noise. The intensity depends on the conductivity, geometry, location and movement of these parts. In comparison to bioelectric studies, this inductive noise coupling demands extra attention. In most biomagnetic measurements performed inside a magnetically shielded room, the limiting factor of the sensitivity is the thermal noise caused by electrically conducting thermal shielding used inside the cryogenic measurement dewar. Fortunately, it is possible to reduce the noise contribution arising from the superinsulation in the dewar by careful design. The properties and dynamics of the SQUIDs are well understood nowadays. Studies of the nonlinear character in the coupling between the SQUID and external detection coil have made it possible to reduce the noise contribution of the sensor itself.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)