In these proceedings, an overview on recent results of a novel imaging modality based on magnetic nanoparticles is given. This imaging concept, called magnetic particle imaging (MPI), falls into the category of functional imaging and, hence, the magnetic nanoparticles may serve as tracers of metabolic processes. Today, there are interesting challenges within the practical set-up of a scanning device and also in the design of new MPI nanoparticles. During this workshop at the University of Lubeck in 2010, scientists from chemical engineering, biology, electrical engineering, physics, computer sciences and medicine discussed the promises and challenges of MPI.

Marlitt Erbe provides a detailed introduction into the young research field of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) and field free line (FFL) imaging in particular. She derives a mathematical description of magnetic field generation for FFL imaging in MPI. To substantiate the simulation studies on magnetic FFL generation with a proof-of-concept, the author introduces the FFL field demonstrator, which provides the world s first experimentally generated rotated and translated magnetic FFL field complying with the requirements for FFL reconstruction. Furthermore, she proposes a scanner design of considerably enhanced magnetic field quality and efficiency. The author discusses the influence of magnetic field quality optimization on the image quality achieved using efficient Radon-based reconstruction methods, which arise for a line detection scheme and based on this optimized design, presents a dynamic FFL scanner assembly."