Experimental radiology

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The equipment currently used for magnetic resonance imaging is a Philips DS Achieva 3,0T TX, which represents a new generation of MRI techniques with a high magnetic field (3 Teslas). The Achieva is designed with an innovative digital acquisition system, with up to 64 elements per multichannel receiver coils, and multi-transmission technology, as well as maintaining the highest signal to noise ratio (SNR) possible. Its very high magnetic field has a high homogeneity, with gradients of 80 mT/m and accelerations of 200 T/m/s.

Our equipment is suitable for human research, and is also capable of being used with animal research, with high resolution pulse sequences, and platforms available for very small animals. The interior diameter of the equipment is 60cm, and supports weights of up to 250kg, for which reason we are able to use animals for research, irrelevant of their size.

In order to study small animals, a large variety of adjustable coils designed to acquire images, must be made available for use. Furthermore they must be compatible with the hydrogen spectroscopy (1H). The coils allow simultaneous multi-element configuration. It also includes noise reducing systems, and real-time transmission synchronisation systems. With over 300 acquisition protocols, programmable and modifiable during research, the equipment provides micron spatial resolution with the capability of observing biological phenomenons on a very small scale.

Digital fluoroscopic equipment

The fluoroscopic equipment allows angiography, cardiological, interventionist, and general digital radiography studies of a very high quality. The Philips Veradius uses a dynamic flat panel detector and an anti-scatter grid which generates images of extremely high quality, with very different protocols of acquisition, ergonomics, and facility of use.

The compact mono-block design allows patients and operators to work with very low doses of radiation (25 pulses/s of 60 mA). Its filtration system additionally allows doses to be decreased by 40%. The arc incorporates an advanced collimator system with an iris diaphragm that blocks the radiation outside of it’s automatic and motorised fields. It incorporates a mechanism that measures fluoroscopic doses of radiation.
The rotating anode x-ray tube is bifocal, with a focuses of 0.3mm and 0.6mm IEC. The dynamic image allows the acquisition of between 12.5 and 23 images per second, with pulses between 8.0 and 13.3ms.

The equipment allows advanced functions of post-process and DICOM connectivity. In terms of vascular capabilities, it is able to create digital subtractions in real time, eliminating bones and soft tissues. It also uses; RoadMap (vascular navigation), Real-Time Pixel-Shift (corrects patient motion in real time), Bolus Chase (tracking contrast in peripheral vessels) and Bolus Chase CO2 (for CO2 subtraction monitoring).

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