Magnetic Resonance Imaging clinical scanner for archaeological waterlogged wood investigations

Moisture is the main factor that causes deterioration in cultural heritage objects made of porous materials. At the same time, it is essential to choose non-destructive and non-invasive approaches for more sustainable investigations and make them safe for the environment and the sample. The question addressed in the work concerns the possibility and the opportunity to investigate waterlogged wood by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) made with clinical scanners to carry out non-destructive volumetric diagnostics. In this study, MRI, the most important non-invasive medical imaging technique for human tissue analysis, was applied to study archaeological waterlogged wood samples. This type of archaeological material has a very high moisture content (400%-800%), thus proving to be an ideal investigative subject for MRI which detects water molecules inside matter. By this methodology, it is possible to obtain information about water content and conservation status through T1, T2, and T2* weighted image analysis, without any sampling or handling, and samples are directly scanned in the water where they are stored. Furthermore, it permits processing 3D reconstruction that could be an innovative tool for marine archaeological collections digitalization. In this study, an MRI protocol analysis is shown using a clinical NMR scanner operating at 3T. Results were compared with X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) images and useful information about moisture content and conservation status in an all-in-one methodology were obtained.