NeuroSpin: the 17.2-Tesla magnet system successfully powered up
CEA
The first attempted field start-up, in 2008, had failed. Repeat-quenching, which in real terms was caused by rodent pests, triggered a cascade of hotspots in the windings, forcing the liquid helium into gaseous phase and thus preventing the magnet from generating the expected field forces.
Today, the magnet is up and running in perfect working order, and its first image-outputs are scheduled for this summer. It will take at least 12 months to fine-tune the image acquisition methods, after which the project can move on to developing experimental protocols. This horizontal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) platform is the only one of its kind in the world. It will be dedicated to important time-resolved, contrast-resolved, spatially-resolved preclinical studies.