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A MRI rotary phased array head coil
Bing Keong Li1, Ewald Weber, Stuart Crozier
1School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia. joeli@itee.uq.edu.au
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems
|July 30, 2013
Summary
A novel rotary phased array (RPA) head coil offers homogenous brain imaging comparable to birdcage coils. This new design improves signal intensity, enabling faster and clearer magnetic resonance brain imaging.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Radiofrequency (RF) Coil Engineering
Background:
- Conventional MRI head coils face challenges in achieving uniform signal intensity, particularly deep within the brain.
- Existing phased array coils often struggle to match the homogeneity of volumetric coils.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate a novel rotary phased array (RPA) head coil for magnetic resonance brain imaging.
- To assess the image homogeneity and performance of the RPA head coil compared to conventional designs.
Main Methods:
- A prototype 4-element, 2T receive-only RPA head coil with a unique "paddle-like" element structure was designed and constructed.
- Experimental testing involved comparing the RPA coil against a conventional phased array head coil and a commercial birdcage head coil using phantom imaging.
- Partial parallel imaging techniques were explored in conjunction with the RPA coil.
Main Results:
- The RPA head coil demonstrated improved signal intensity in the center of phantoms compared to the conventional phased array coil.
- Image homogeneity achieved by the RPA coil was found to be comparable to that of a commercial birdcage head coil.
- The integration of partial parallel imaging facilitated rapid imaging acquisition.
Conclusions:
- The proposed RPA head coil design offers a viable alternative for achieving homogenous brain images in MRI.
- The RPA coil's performance rivals that of established birdcage coils, with potential for enhanced speed through parallel imaging.
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