Imaging of finger joints in a whole-body MR system using a simple and low-cost solenoidal coil

This work considers the design and operation of a solenoid radiofrequency (RF) coil for magnetic resonance (MR) mini-imaging of finger joints using a whole-body system. The considerations were focused on the requirements of high sensitivity, easy patient access, and cost-effectiveness. The proposed design is a short, two-turn solenoidal coil that accomplishes high spatial uniformity over a 2-cm region of interest (ROI). The coil resembles an oversized ring, and easily fits fingers that are spread. An experimental demonstration of the proposed approach is given by imaging the proximal interphalangeal joint in healthy volunteers using a 2.5-cm field of view (FOV). Spin-echo and gradient-recalled-echo T1-weighted sequences, and a 3D spoiled-gradient-echo sequence were used.