Design and operation of a whole-body MRI scanner without RF shielding

Purpose: To investigate how a clinical MRI system can be operated without an RF cabin. Receive interference cancellation via signal processing and active transmit emission suppression are evaluated for mitigating image artifacts and achieving electromagnetic compatibility. Methods: A clinical whole-body MR scanner with B-0=0.55T was placed in an environment without RF shielding. The signals of 16 additional auxiliary receive antenna elements outside the scanner bore were used to remove interference from the wanted MR signal via a dedicated sidelobe cancellation algorithm. In vivo measurements with different MR sequences were performed in the presence of ambient RF noise and additional artificial interferers, covering brain and abdominal applications. To investigate the transmit electromagnetic compatibility, simulations with different auxiliary transmit antenna arrangements and body coil loading conditions were performed, and their emission suppression performance in the far field was evaluated. Results: The MR sidelobe cancellation algorithm successfully removed interference artifacts up to more than 3 times of the wanted MR image energy; difference images carried little to no visibly removed wanted signal. According to the simulations, electromagnetic compliance can be achieved with 32 or more auxiliary transmit antennas. The number and placement of sensor points are essential. Conclusions: A whole-body 0.55T MR scanner can be operated without RF shielding. Image artifacts from external interference can be removed, requiring only a modest number of auxiliary antennas. Electromagnetic compliance appears to be achievable using active transmit cancellation, but the required hardware efforts may not be practical.