Geometric optimal control of the contrast problem in Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The control of the dynamics of spin systems by magnetic fields has opened intriguing possibilities in quantum computing and in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. In this framework, optimal control theory has been used to design control fields able to realize a given task while minimizing a prescribed cost such as the energy of the field or the duration of the process. However, some of the powerful tools of optimal control had not been used yet for NMR applications in medical imagery. Here, we show that the geometric control theory approach can be advantageously combined with NMR methods to crucially optimize the imaging contrast. This approach is applied to a benchmark problem but it gives a strong evidence for the possibility of using optimal control theory for enhancing the contrast and the resolution of medical images.