Modular 32‐channel transceiver coil array for cardiac MRI at 7.0T. Issue 1 (31st July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Graessl, Andreas; Renz, Wolfgang; Hezel, Fabian; Dieringer, Matthias A.; Winter, Lukas; Oezerdem, Celal; Rieger, Jan; Kellman, Peter; Santoro, Davide; Lindel, Tomasz D.; Frauenrath, Tobias; Pfeiffer, Harald; Niendorf, Thoralf
• Is Part Of: Magnetic resonance in medicine. Volume 72:Issue 1(2014:Jul.)
• Page Start: 276
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2013-07-31
• Subjects: Nuclear magnetic resonance -- Periodicals; Electron paramagnetic resonance -- Periodicals; 616.07548
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24903
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0740-3194

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="mrm24903-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>To design and evaluate a modular transceiver coil array with 32 independent channels for cardiac MRI at 7.0T.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm24903-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>The modular coil array comprises eight independent building blocks, each containing four transceiver loop elements. Numerical simulations were used for B<sub>1</sub><sup>+</sup> field homogenization and radiofrequency (RF) safety validation. RF characteristics were examined in a phantom study. The array's suitability for accelerated high spatial resolution two‐dimensional (2D) FLASH CINE imaging of the heart was examined in a volunteer study.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm24903-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Transmission field adjustments and RF characteristics were found to be suitable for the volunteer study. The signal‐to‐noise intrinsic to 7.0T together with the coil performance afforded a spatial resolution of 1.1 × 1.1 × 2.5 mm<sup>3</sup> for 2D CINE FLASH MRI, which is by a factor of 6 superior to standardized CINE protocols used in clinical practice at 1.5T. The 32‐channel transceiver array supports one‐dimensional acceleration factors of up to R = 4 without impairing image quality significantly.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm24903-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The modular 32‐channel transceiver cardiac array supports accelerated and high spatial resolution cardiac MRI. The array is compatible with multichannel transmission and provides a technological basis for future clinical assessment of parallel transmission techniques at 7.0T. Magn Reson Med 72:276–290, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>