The subject invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing
stimulated MRI data. In an embodiment, a remote-controlled "smart
phantom" can produce simulated data. The simulated data can be acquired
from a MRI system. The subject device can generate control signals and
send the generated control signals to secondary coils/probes placed in
the subject smart phantom. The control signals determine the current flow
in the secondary coils/probes, which act as local spin magnetization
amplifiers and thus produce regions of variable contrast to noise ratio.
The control signals can be generated with various parameters, such as
BOLD models, different levels of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal
intensities, and physiological signals. Comparisons can be made with the
widely-used simulated data by computers. Validation of the subject smart
phantom can be performed with both theoretical analysis and data of human
subjects.
