New designs for force-minimized compact high-field clinical MRI magnets are described. The design method is a modified simulated annealing (SA) procedure which includes Maxwell forces in the error function to be minimized. This permits an automated force reduction in the magnet designs while controlling the overall dimensions of the system. As SA optimization requires many iterations to achieve a final design, it is important that each iteration in the procedure is rapid. We have therefore developed a rapid force calculation algorithm. Novel designs for short 3-and 4-T clinical MRI systems are presented in which force reduction has been invoked. The final designs provide large homogeneous regions and reduced stray fields in remarkable short magnets. A shielded 4-T design that is approximately 30% shorter than current designs is presented. This novel magnet generates a full 50-cm diameter homogeneous region.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Physical Sciences
Research Group:	Condensed matter physics
Research Field:	Electronic and magnetic properties of condensed matter; superconductivity
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the mathematical sciences
UTAS Author:	Forbes, LK (Professor Larry Forbes)
ID Code:	21663
Year Published:	2001
Web of Science® Times Cited:	6
Deposited By:	Mathematics
Deposited On:	2001-08-01
Last Modified:	2002-07-29
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