Design of MRI Transmit-Array Coils for Improved Detection & Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

It is estimated that 23,200 women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and that the disease claims the lives of about 100 Canadian women per week. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer offers many advantages over conventional X-ray mammography, including increased sensitivity and the absence of ionizing radiation. MRI is achieved through the manipulation, and subsequent detection, of the magnetic properties of the hydrogen atoms in our bodies. The objective of this project is to improve the quality and diagnostic ability of breast MRI through the development of specialized hardware that can more effectively manage these tasks. The results of this project will help Sentinelle Medical Inc., a small Canadian company specializing in MRI hardware, to expand their product line and market profile by bringing to market a novel MRI device that will improve the quality of breast cancer diagnosis.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Christopher Bidinosti

Student:

Pei-Shan Wei

Partner:

Sentinelle Medical Inc.

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Winnipeg