MRI detection of weak magnetic fields due to an extended current dipole in a conducting sphere: A model for direct detection of neuronal currents in the brain

To investigate the feasibility of direct MR detection of neuronal activity in the brain, neuronal current flow was modeled as an extended current dipole located in a conducting sphere. The spatially varying magnetic field induced within the sphere by such a dipole was calculated, including its form close to and within the current source. The predicted field variation was experimentally verified by measurements of the variation in phase of the MR signal in a sphere containing a model dipole. The effects of the calculated magnetic field distributions on the phase and magnitude of the signal in MR images were explored. The minimum detectable dipole strength under normal experimental conditions was calculated to be about 4.5 nAm, which is similar in magnitude to dipole strengths from evoked neuronal activity, and is an order of magnitude smaller than dipole strengths expected from spontaneous activity. This minimum detectable dipole strength increases with increasing spatial extent of the primary current distribution. In the experimental work, the effects of a field of [1.1 ± 0.5] × 10–10 T strength were detected, corresponding to the maximum net field caused by a dipole of 6.3 nAm strength with a spatial extent of 3 × 3 × 2 mm3. Magn Reson Med 50:40–49, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.