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Magnetically-Assisted Remote Controlled Microcatheter Tip Deflection under Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: April 4, 2013
Interventional MRI: tapering improves the distal sensitivity of the loopless antenna
Di Qian1, AbdEl-Monem M El-Sharkawy, Ergin Atalar
1Division of MR Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|February 27, 2010
Summary
Tapered insulation significantly enhances the sensitivity of loopless antennas for interventional MRI. This design improvement boosts signal-to-noise ratio and sensitive area, improving MRI detector utility.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Electromagnetism
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- The loopless antenna is an interventional MRI detector.
- Uniform insulation limits its distal sensitivity, especially with longer whip elements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of tapered insulation on loopless antenna sensitivity.
- To optimize loopless antenna design for improved interventional MRI.
Main Methods:
- Numerical computation using the electromagnetic method-of-moments.
- Analysis of antennae with no insulation, uniform insulation, and linearly tapered insulation.
- Phantom experiments and MRI of an aorta specimen for validation.
Main Results:
- Tapered insulation increased signal-to-noise ratio by approximately 400% near the tip.
- The sensitive area increased 16-fold compared to uniformly insulated antennas.
- Numerical analysis accurately predicted experimental signal-to-noise ratio.
Conclusions:
- Tapered insulation dramatically improves loopless antenna distal sensitivity.
- This optimization enhances the utility of loopless antennas for interventional MRI.
- Electromagnetic analysis is crucial for optimizing detector design.
