Improved SNR of magnetic resonance microimaging using a cooled resonance circuit at 0.3T

Because it is noninvasive, magnetic resonance microimaging (MRMI) can be used for 3-dimensional measurement of living tissues for cell engineering. Thermal noise in the resonance circuit of the radiofrequency (RF) system of the MRMI cannot become ignored as the signal diminishes in accordance with decreasing sample size, and cooling the RF coil of the receiver circuit can effectively reduce thermal noise. We used a low temperature normal conductor circuit to reduce noise and confirmed improved signal-to-noise ratio for a conventional microimaging system at low B0 field (0.3T) with low cost. (author)