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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: February 27, 2011
A 16-channel AC/DC array coil for anesthetized monkey whole-brain imaging at 7T
Yang Gao1, Azma Mareyam2, Yi Sun3
1Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States; School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
We developed a new radiofrequency (RF) coil for monkey functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that combines RF and multi-coil B0 shim capabilities. This advanced coil improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and reduces magnetic field inhomogeneity, enhancing functional brain imaging in monkeys.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Background:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in monkeys is crucial for understanding brain function, bridging animal and human studies.
- Ultra-high-field (UHF) MRI and high-performance RF coils are essential for high-resolution monkey brain imaging.
- Static magnetic field (B0) inhomogeneity at UHF poses a significant challenge for high-resolution fMRI, especially in smaller, complex monkey brains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a customized radiofrequency (RF) coil array for lightly-anesthetized monkey fMRI at 7T.
- To integrate multi-coil (MC) B0 shim functionality with RF coils (AC/DC coils) for improved magnetic field homogeneity.
- To assess the performance of MC shim methods (global and dynamic) for enhancing monkey fMRI quality.
Main Methods:
- Customized a 7T RF coil array for monkey fMRI, incorporating MC B0 shim functionality.
- Tested both global and slice-optimized dynamic MC shim methods.
- Evaluated RF coil performance and B0 inhomogeneity reduction compared to commercial coils and static shimming.
Main Results:
- The AC/DC coil demonstrated higher image SNR and more uniform contrast than a human knee coil.
- MC shim reduced B0 inhomogeneity by 56.8%, with 95-percentile B0 offset reduced to 28.2 Hz (vs. 68.7 Hz with static 2nd-order shim).
- A minor reduction in RF coil performance was observed after integrating B0 shim circuitry.
Conclusions:
- The developed AC/DC monkey coil effectively improves B0 homogeneity and image quality for UHF fMRI.
- Enhanced functional image quality allows for better detection of brain activation in monkeys.
- The coil design supports multi-modal imaging studies, offering versatility in neuroscientific research.
