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Triaxial detection of the neuromagnetic field using optically-pumped magnetometry: feasibility and application in children

Boto, Elena; Shah, Vishal; Hill, Ryan M.; Rhodes, Natalie; Osborne, James; Doyle, Cody; Holmes, Niall; Rea, Molly; Leggett, James; Bowtell, Richard; Brookes, Matthew J.

Triaxial detection of the neuromagnetic field using optically-pumped magnetometry: feasibility and application in children Thumbnail


Authors

Vishal Shah

Ryan M. Hill

Natalie Rhodes

James Osborne

Cody Doyle

NIALL HOLMES NIALL.HOLMES@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Mansfield Research Fellow

Molly Rea

JAMES LEGGETT JAMES.LEGGETT@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Technical Specialist - Opm Meg



Abstract

Optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs) are an established alternative to superconducting sensors for magnetoencephalography (MEG), offering significant advantages including flexibility to accommodate any head size, uniform coverage, free movement during scanning, better data quality and lower cost. However, OPM sensor technology remains under development; there is flexibility regarding OPM design and it is not yet clear which variant will prove most effective for MEG. Most OPM-MEG implementations have either used single-axis (equivalent to conventional MEG) or dual-axis magnetic field measurements. Here we demonstrate use of a triaxial OPM formulation, able to characterise the full 3D neuromagnetic field vector. We show that this novel sensor is able to characterise magnetic fields with high accuracy and sensitivity that matches conventional (dual-axis) OPMs. We show practicality via measurement of biomagnetic fields from both the heart and the brain. Using simulations, we demonstrate how triaxial measurement offers improved cortical coverage, especially in infants. Finally, we introduce a new 3D-printed child-friendly OPM-helmet and demonstrate feasibility of triaxial measurement in a five-year-old. In sum, the data presented demonstrate that triaxial OPMs offer a significant improvement over dual-axis variants and are likely to become the sensor of choice for future MEG systems, particularly for deployment in paediatric populations.

Citation

Boto, E., Shah, V., Hill, R. M., Rhodes, N., Osborne, J., Doyle, C., …Brookes, M. J. (2022). Triaxial detection of the neuromagnetic field using optically-pumped magnetometry: feasibility and application in children. NeuroImage, 252, Article 119027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119027

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 21, 2022
Online Publication Date Feb 22, 2022
Publication Date May 15, 2022
Deposit Date Mar 10, 2022
Publicly Available Date Mar 10, 2022
Journal NeuroImage
Print ISSN 1053-8119
Electronic ISSN 1095-9572
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 252
Article Number 119027
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119027
Keywords Cognitive Neuroscience; Neurology
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7511335
Publisher URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922001562?via%3Dihub

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