20 Tesla MRI Magnet: Ekosi Tesla

In 2013, an international team including the MagLab initiated Ekosi Tesla, the pursuit of 20 tesla human MRI (ekosi is Greek for 20). Today, standard MRI magnets in clinical use for human imaging operate at 1.5 T; the “high-field” systems operate at 3.0 T. There are a few “ultra-high field” systems operating at 7 T to 10 T, and systems up to 11.75 T are in development. The proposed new system should provide unprecedented resolution and play a significant role in decoding the mysteries of the human brain.

New Capabilities

The room-temperature bore of the magnet is planned to be 65 cm, which should provide space for typical human torsos with gradient coils installed around the head. That increase in field strength over what is currently available will translate into images of astounding detail that, among other advances, will provide non-invasive views of how neurons are organized in the cortex and how axons connect different regions of the brain involved in common tasks. Such studies are expected to deepen our knowledge of cognition-related connectivities and brain plasticity in health and disease. The 20 tesla field will also provide a huge boost to novel kinds of MRI, including those targeting carbon and phosphorous atoms; this could lead to new insights into the brain’s energetics and metabolism. Boasting a high homogeneity (1 ppm or better over a 16 cm diameter sphere), the new MRI will also make feasible many new metabolic experiments.

Materials & Magnet Technology

The figure above shows the magnet field and bore of MRI magnets. Those built to date show as black squares and are connected by a black line that denotes the “frontier” in this field.Magnets presently in development are shown as blue squares.

Related Publications

• Budinger, T. F., et al, MRI and MRS of the human brain at magnetic fields of 14 T to 20 T: Technical feasibility, safety, and neuroscience horizons (2018)
• Budinger, T. F., et al, Toward 20 T magnetic resonance for human brain studies: opportunities for discovery and neuroscience rationale (2016)

Staff Contacts

Project manager Mark Bird.