Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a novel imaging technique that uses superparamagnetic nanoparticles as tracers to visualize the distribution and concentration of magnetic materials in a sample. MPI has many potential applications in biomedical imaging, such as cancer detection, stem cell tracking, and cardiovascular imaging.
However, MPI requires high-performance hardware and software to generate and acquire the signals from the nanoparticles. The signal generation involves applying a time-varying magnetic field to excite the nanoparticles, while the signal acquisition involves measuring the induced voltage from the nanoparticles using a receiver coil array.
One of the challenges of MPI is to achieve high spatial and temporal resolution, which depends on the number and quality of the signal channels. More channels allow for better spatial coverage and faster imaging, but also increase the complexity and cost of the system.
Red Pitaya is a versatile and affordable platform that can be used to implement multi-channel signal acquisition and generation for MPI. Red Pitaya is a credit-card-sized device that combines a dual-core ARM processor, a Xilinx Zynq FPGA, and a high-speed analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter. Red Pitaya can be programmed using various languages and tools, such as C/C++, Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, and GNU Radio.
Red Pitaya can be used to create a custom MPI system with up to 16 channels of signal generation and acquisition. The signal generation can be done by using the Red Pitaya’s digital-to-analog converter to output arbitrary waveforms to the transmitter coil. The signal acquisition can be done by using the Red Pitaya’s analog-to-digital converter to sample the voltage from the receiver coil array. The signal processing can be done by using the Red Pitaya’s FPGA or CPU to perform tasks such as filtering, demodulation, reconstruction, and visualization.
The following table summarizes the main features and specifications of Red Pitaya for MPI:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | Up to 16 (8 per device) |
| Signal generation | 14-bit DAC, 125 MS/s, 50 MHz bandwidth |
| Signal acquisition | 14-bit ADC, 125 MS/s, 50 MHz bandwidth |
| Signal processing | Xilinx Zynq 7010 FPGA, dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU |
| Programming | C/C++, Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, GNU Radio |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, USB, HDMI, microSD |
Red Pitaya is a Swiss Army Knife for engineers that can replace bulky and expensive instruments and provide real-time signal processing, FPGA programming and remote measurement. It is used in various fields such as industry, academia, research and radio amateurism, and comes with open-source software and flexible programming options.
Red Pitaya is a suitable platform for developing and testing multi-channel signal acquisition and generation for MPI. It offers a low-cost, compact, and versatile solution that can be customized and scaled according to the needs and preferences of the user. Red Pitaya can help researchers and engineers to explore and advance the field of MPI and its applications.