 The
mission of the CIA-MR is to
apply magnetic resonance technology to fundamental problems in
engineering and the physical sciences.
CIAMR HomeCIAMR PersonnelCIAMR FacilitiesMR-PET Scanner DevelopmentMagnetic LevitationMR Compatibility of Medical DevicesMR Analysis of Bioreactor Structure and FunctionIndustrial NMR ApplicationsMRI of Wood3D MRI of FoamTissue EngineeringMRI of KneesMicro NMR CoilsDepartment of RadiologyUniversity of Minnesota |
MRI of Wood MRI WOOD APPLICATIONS  Illustration of the test tree used for imaging, with the 1.5 Tesla magnet in the background..  This picture displays a photograph of the cross section of the end of the log imaged. Note the rot in the central core, surrounded by what appears to be infected wood, with healthy wood on the outside. These feactures are apparent in the magnetic resonance image below. The diameter of the log is about 3.5".  Magnetic resonance image of the interior of the wood. Image was made via a standard gradient echo sequence. Regions of rot (center dark area), the infected wood, followed by healthy wood on the outside are visible. The rings of the tree are also discernable.    A spin echo sequence yielded these images. The TR times were 100 ms, 200 ms and 2000 ms. More contrast features are visible in these pictures.   This section of log has a central infected region, surrounded by an area of dry wood, which is then surrounded by relatively wet wood. The diameter of the log is about 3.5". A knot from a branch is apparent on this side view photograph of the same log.   Segmentation of a 3-D MRI image of the log reveals the shape of the wood rot. The algorithm for rapid image segmentation is under development by Prof. Allen Tannenbaum of the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota. 
 As the movie plays you will see the features of a knot moving from right to left, across the cross-sectional face of the image. These high resolution images are from a 128 x 128 x128 data set. This section of log has a central infected region, surrounded by an area of dry wood, which is then surrounded by relatively wet wood. The dry wood appears black in the MRI image. Tree rings are clearly visible in the MRI image and are difficult to observe in the photograph. The differing mobility of water yields the contrast in the MRI image. Each slice thickness is about is 0.3 mm. The MRI scanner in our facility can accommodate timber with a cross section up to 20 inches in diameter. Custom magnets can be designed to have access up to 40 inch diameter timber. |
| © 1998 by the Regents of the
University of
Minnesota
Contact Webmaster |