An optimized solenoidal head radiofrequency coil for low-field magnetic resonance imaging

Blasiak, Barbara; Volotovskyy, Vyacheslav; Deng, Charlie; Tomanek, Boguslaw

doi:10.1016/j.mri.2009.05.018

« PreviousMagnetic Resonance Imaging
Volume 27, Issue 9 , Pages 1302-1308, November 2009

An optimized solenoidal head radiofrequency coil for low-field magnetic resonance imaging

Barbara Blasiak
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-342, Poland
- Experimental Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1
- Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 1Y6
Vyacheslav Volotovskyy
- Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 1Y6
Charlie Deng
- Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 1Y6
Boguslaw Tomanek
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 31-342, Poland
- Experimental Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1
- Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 1Y6
- Corresponding author. Institute for Biodiagnostics, National Research Council of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1Y6, Canada.

Received 25 August 2008; received in revised form 25 January 2009; accepted 7 May 2009. published online 26 June 2009.

Abstract

Applications of low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems (<0.3 T) are limited due to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) being lower than that provided by systems based on superconductive magnets (≥1.5 T). Therefore, the design of radiofrequency (RF) coils for low-field MRI requires careful consideration as significant gains in SNR can be achieved with the proper design of the RF coil. This article describes an analytical method for the optimization of solenoidal coils. Coil and sample losses are analyzed to provide maximum SNR and optimum B₁ field homogeneity. The calculations are performed for solenoidal coils optimized for the human head at 0.2 T, but the method could also be applied to any solenoidal coil for imaging other anatomical regions at low field. Several coils were constructed to compare experimental and theoretical results. A head magnetic resonance image obtained at 0.2 T with the optimum design is presented.

Keywords: MRI, RF coil, Solenoidal coil, Low-field MRI, B₁ field, SNR