An MRI Scanner in the Rector's Office?

On January 29, 2025, the Faculty of Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering (CSBME) had the pleasure of presenting a special gift to Rector Horst Bischof - a fully functional MRI scanner. This unique addition now joins his collection of representative objects from the seven faculties of TU Graz.

What kind of object could represent our department? That was the question that Dean Gernot Müller-Putz asked himself before coming up with the final idea: an MRI scanner. Over the past few months, Hermann Scharfetter (IBI) and his team have been working intensively to refine the scanner for this special occasion. Originally developed as part of the INSIGHT student project at the Institute of Biomedical Imaging, the device has been optimised - both in appearance and technology - to make it an impressive gift. Last Wednesday, Rector Horst Bischof had the chance to test the miniature MRI scanner himself. The result? Not only a tomographic image of the TU Graz logo, but also of peas and chillies.

Now, this one-of-a-kind MRI scanner proudly adorns the Rector’s office, offering him the opportunity to perform small-scale MRI scans. We hope he enjoys this extraordinary addition to his collection!