Development of a carrier device for dental-dedicated magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a carrier device for dental-dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (ddMRI).

Materials and methods: The carrier device comprised 5 glass test tubes, which were vertically positioned within a glass beaker and filled with air, distilled water, 1.5% agar, nickel nitrate [Ni(NO₃)₂] in 1.5% agar, or 1000 g·L^-1 dipotassium phosphate (K₂HPO₄). The beaker was filled with distilled water, a 0.3 g·L^-1 Ni(NO₃)₂ aqueous solution, or a 1000 g·L^-1 K₂HPO₄ aqueous solution. The device was scanned using a proton density turbo-spin-echo pulse sequence on a ddMRI system equipped with a dental-dedicated radiofrequency surface coil. Triplicate scans were performed for each combination of tube fillings and beaker solutions, yielding a total of 45 image volumes. Quantitative image metrics were then assessed.

Results: The developed carrier device, composed of carrier vials filled with 1.5% agar surrounded by a 1000 g·L^-1 K₂HPO₄ aqueous solution, was identified as the best option for ddMRI quality assessments.

Conclusion: The proposed carrier device represents a promising method for embedding dental materials and other specimens, thereby facilitating the evaluation of their behaviour in ddMRI.