A Single-Sided 50mT, 7kg “Helmet” Magnet for Continuous Brain Monitoring in Acute-Care Setting

Motivation: Conventional MRI systems and portable low-field scanners are too large, costly, and difficult to site, making them unsuitable for continuous monitoring in acute-care settings. Goal(s): Develop a single-sided, helmet-shaped MRI device capable of imaging brain region 5cm from the top of the head, with dimensions of 80 mm x 80 mm x 26.5 mm. Approach: Optimize and build a magnet array with a mean |B0| greater than 50 mT and a built-in gradient usable for readout or slice selection. Results: A single-sided magnet array, weighing <10 kg, was built and bench-tested, achieving a mean |B0| of 50 mT and a 50 mT/m gradient. Impact: We present a portable, single-sided 50mT B0 magnet with improved field coverage and a built-in 50mT/m gradient for readout, advancing the development of an MRI system capable of continuous brain imaging in acute-care settings.