Latest Progress on the Iseult/INUMAC Whole Body 11.7 T MRI Magnet

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 22; no. 3; p. 4400804
• Main Authors: Vedrine, P., Abdel Maksoud, W., Aubert, G., Beaudet, F., Belorgey, J., Bermond, S., Berriaud, C., Bredy, P., Bresson, D., Donati, A., Dubois, O., Gilgrass, G., Juster, F. P., Lannou, H., Meuris, C., Molinie, F., Nusbaum, M., Nunio, F., Payn, A., Schild, T., Scola, L., Sinanna, A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Coils; Coils (windings); Conductors; Design engineering; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electromagnets; Exact sciences and technology; Helium; Inductance; Internal energy; Magnetic noise; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic shielding; Miscellaneous; Niobium base alloys; niobium titanium; Refrigerators; superconducting magnet; Superconducting magnets; Superconductivity; Temporal logic; Testing. Reliability. Quality control; Various equipment and components; Thermal stress; Resolving power; Bias temperature instability; niobium titanium; Magnet; Refrigerator; Household electrical appliances; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Prototype tests; Superconducting magnet; Inductance; Time resolution; Sensitivity; Magnetic resonance imaging; Imaging; Starting; High field; Cryostat; Magnetic field; Machine windings
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2011.2176093

The Whole Body 11.7 T MRI Magnet is an actively shielded magnet system, with a stored energy of 338 MJ and an inductance of 308 H. Operating at a homogeneous field level of 11.75 T within a 90 cm warm bore, the cryostat has external dimensions of 4.8 m in diameter and 5.0 m in length. It is part of the Iseult/Inumac project, a French-German initiative focused on very-high-magnetic-field molecular imaging to improve sensitivity, spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution for preclinical and/or clinical MR systems. After the qualification of two first unit lengths of 820 m, the NbTi conductor with a current of 1483 A is now being produced at Luvata Waterbury. Winding of the main coil, made of 170 double pancakes, is starting at Alstom Belfort. Several pieces of equipment have already been delivered to the Neurospin site, CEA Saclay,; including the main refrigerator produced by Air Liquide. Several prototypes have been tested and confirmed the soundness of the magnet design. This paper describes the 11.7 T magnet and the latest progress in its design and fabrication.