A Switched-Mode Breast Coil for 7 T MRI Using Forced-Current Excitation

作者：Cui Jiaming^*; Bosshard John C; Rispoli Joseph V; Dimitrov Ivan E; Cheshkov Sergey; McDougall Mary Preston; Malloy Craig; Wright Steven M

来源：IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2015, 62(7): 1777-1783.

DOI：10.1109/TBME.2015.2403850

• 7T
• breast coils
• dual mode
• forced-current excitation (FCE)
• high field MRI

In high-field magnetic resonance imaging, the radio frequency wavelength within the human body is comparable to anatomical dimensions, resulting in B-1 inhomogeneity and nonuniform sensitivity patterns. Thus, this relatively short wavelength presents engineering challenges for RF coil design. In this study, a bilateral breast coil for H-1 imaging at 7 T was designed and constructed using forced-current excitation. By forcing equal current through the coil elements, we reduce the effects of coupling between the elements to simplify tuning and to ensure a uniform field across both breasts. To combine the benefits of the higher power efficiency of a unilateral coil with the bilateral coverage of a bilateral coil, a switching circuit was implemented to allow the coil to be reconfigured for imaging the left, right, or both breasts.

• 出版日期2015-7