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Solis-Najera S, Ruiz R, Martin R, Vazquez F, Marrufo O, Rodriguez AO. A theoretical and experimental investigation on a volume coil with slotted end-rings for rat MRI at 7 T. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 36:911-919. [PMID: 37184611 PMCID: PMC10667404 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01096-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A volume coil with squared slots-end ring was developed to attain improved sensitivity for imaging of rat's brain at 7 T. MATERIAL AND METHODS The principles of the high cavity resonator for the low-pass case and the law of Biot-Savart were used to derive a theoretical expression of [Formula: see text]. The slotted-end ring resonator showed a theoretical 2.22-fold sensitivity improvement over the standard birdcage coil with similar dimensions. Numerical studies were carried out for the electromagnetic fields and specific absorption rates for our coil and a birdcage coil loaded with a saline-filled spherical phantom and a digital brain of a rat. RESULTS An improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be observed for the slotted volume coil over the birdcage regardless of the load used in the electromagnetic simulations. The specific absorption rate simulations show a decrement for the digital brain and quite similar values with the saline solution phantom. Phantom and rat's brain images were acquired at 7 T to prove the viability of the coil design. The experimental noise figure of our coil design was four times less than the standard birdcage with similar dimensions, which showed a 44.5% increase in experimental SNR. DISCUSSION There is remarkable agreement among the theoretical, numerical and experimental sensitivity values, which all demonstrate that the coil performance for MR imaging of small rodents can be improved using slotted end-rings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Solis-Najera
- Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Ruiz
- Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Martin
- Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fabian Vazquez
- Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Oscar Marrufo
- Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
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Sun P, Wu Z, Lin L, Hu G, Zhang X, Wang J. MR-Nucleomics: The study of pathological cellular processes with multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging in vivo. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4845. [PMID: 36259659 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Clinical medicine has experienced a rapid development in recent decades, during which therapies targeting specific cellular signaling pathways, or specific cell surface receptors, have been increasingly adopted. While these developments in clinical medicine call for improved precision in diagnosis and treatment monitoring, modern medical imaging methods are restricted mainly to anatomical imaging, lagging behind the requirements of precision medicine. Although positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography have been used clinically for studies of metabolism, their applications have been limited by the exposure risk to ionizing radiation, the subsequent limitation in repeated and longitudinal studies, and the incapability in assessing downstream metabolism. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) or spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) are, in theory, capable of assessing molecular activities in vivo, although they are often limited by sensitivity. Here, we review some recent developments in MRS and MRSI of multiple nuclei that have potential as molecular imaging tools in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Sun
- Clinical & Technical Support, Philips Healthcare, China
| | - Zhigang Wu
- Clinical & Technical Support, Philips Healthcare, China
| | - Liangjie Lin
- Clinical & Technical Support, Philips Healthcare, China
| | - Geli Hu
- Clinical & Technical Support, Philips Healthcare, China
| | | | - Jiazheng Wang
- Clinical & Technical Support, Philips Healthcare, China
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A Practical Guide to Estimating Coil Inductance for Magnetic Resonance Applications. ELECTRONICS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/electronics11131974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Radiofrequency (RF) coils are employed to transmit and/or receive signals in Magnetic Resonance (MR) systems. The design of home-made, organ-specific RF coils with optimized homogeneity and/or Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) can be a plus in many research projects. The first step requires accurate inductance calculation, this depending on the conductor’s geometry, to later define the tuning capacitor necessary to obtain the desired resonance frequency. To fulfil such a need it is very useful to perform a priori inductance estimation rather than relying on the time-consuming trial-and-error approach. This paper describes and compares two different procedures for coil inductance estimation to allow for a fast coil-prototyping process. The first method, based on calculations in the quasi-static approximation, permits an investigation on how the cross-sectional geometry of the RF coil conductors affects the total inductance and can be easily computed for a wide variety of coil geometries. The second approach uses a numerical full-wave method based on the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) algorithm, and permits the simulation of RF coils with any complex geometry, including the case of multi-element phased array. Comparison with workbench measurements validates both the analytical and numerical results for RF coils operating within a wide field range (0.18–7 T).
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Silicon Carbide and MRI: Towards Developing a MRI Safe Neural Interface. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12020126. [PMID: 33530350 PMCID: PMC7911642 DOI: 10.3390/mi12020126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
An essential method to investigate neuromodulation effects of an invasive neural interface (INI) is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Presently, MRI imaging of patients with neural implants is highly restricted in high field MRI (e.g., 3 T and higher) due to patient safety concerns. This results in lower resolution MRI images and, consequently, degrades the efficacy of MRI imaging for diagnostic purposes in these patients. Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is a biocompatible wide-band-gap semiconductor with a high thermal conductivity and magnetic susceptibility compatible with brain tissue. It also has modifiable electrical conductivity through doping level control. These properties can improve the MRI compliance of 3C-SiC INIs, specifically in high field MRI scanning. In this work, the MRI compliance of epitaxial SiC films grown on various Si wafers, used to implement a monolithic neural implant (all-SiC), was studied. Via finite element method (FEM) and Fourier-based simulations, the specific absorption rate (SAR), induced heating, and image artifacts caused by the portion of the implant within a brain tissue phantom located in a 7 T small animal MRI machine were estimated and measured. The specific goal was to compare implant materials; thus, the effect of leads outside the tissue was not considered. The results of the simulations were validated via phantom experiments in the same 7 T MRI system. The simulation and experimental results revealed that free-standing 3C-SiC films had little to no image artifacts compared to silicon and platinum reference materials inside the MRI at 7 T. In addition, FEM simulations predicted an ~30% SAR reduction for 3C-SiC compared to Pt. These initial simulations and experiments indicate an all-SiC INI may effectively reduce MRI induced heating and image artifacts in high field MRI. In order to evaluate the MRI safety of a closed-loop, fully functional all-SiC INI as per ISO/TS 10974:2018 standard, additional research and development is being conducted and will be reported at a later date.
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Ahmad SF, Kim YC, Choi IC, Kim HD. Recent Progress in Birdcage RF Coil Technology for MRI System. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10121017. [PMID: 33261167 PMCID: PMC7759766 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10121017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The radio frequency (RF) coil is one of the key components of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. It has a significant impact on the performance of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection. Among numerous practical designs of RF coils for NMR imaging, the birdcage RF coil is the most popular choice from low field to ultra-high field MRI systems. In the transmission mode, it can establish a strong and homogeneous transverse magnetic field B1 for any element at its Larmor frequency. Similarly, in the reception mode, it exhibits extremely high sensitivity for the detection of even faint NMR signals from the volume of interest. Despite the sophisticated 3D structure of the birdcage coil, the developments in the design, analysis, and implementation technologies during the past decade have rendered the development of the birdcage coils quite reasonable. This article provides a detailed review of the recent progress in the birdcage RF coil technology for the MRI system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Faisal Ahmad
- Institute of Advanced Convergence Technology, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.F.A.); (Y.C.K.); (I.C.C.)
| | - Young Cheol Kim
- Institute of Advanced Convergence Technology, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.F.A.); (Y.C.K.); (I.C.C.)
| | - Ick Chang Choi
- Institute of Advanced Convergence Technology, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.F.A.); (Y.C.K.); (I.C.C.)
| | - Hyun Deok Kim
- School of Electronics Engineering, College of IT Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-940-8678
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Choi CH, Hong SM, Felder J, Shah NJ. The state-of-the-art and emerging design approaches of double-tuned RF coils for X-nuclei, brain MR imaging and spectroscopy: A review. Magn Reson Imaging 2020; 72:103-116. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Tesfai AS, Fischer J, Özen AC, Eppenberger P, Oehrstroem L, Rühli F, Ludwig U, Bock M. Multi-parameter Analytical Method for B1 and SNR Analysis (MAMBA): An open source RF coil design tool. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2020; 319:106825. [PMID: 32947127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2020.106825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), radio frequency (RF) coils of different forms and shapes are used to maximize signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). RF coils are designed for clinical applications and have dimensions comparable with the target body part to be imaged, and they perform best when loaded by human tissue majority of which have conductivity values higher than 0.5 S/m. However, they are not properly tuned and matched for samples having low conductivity such as solid samples with low water content. Moreover, for samples with low filling factor and low conductivity, the noise in MRI is dominated by RF coil losses. In this case, RF coil design can be optimized to improve image SNR. Here, a new software tool (Multi-parameter Analytical Method for B1 and SNR Analysis) MAMBA is presented to design and compare volume coils of birdcage, solenoid, and loop-gap design for these samples. The input parameters of the tool are the sample properties, the coil design and the hardware properties, of which a relative SNR is determined. For that, a figure of merit is calculated from the coil sensitivity, applied resonant frequency and the resistive losses of sample, coil and capacitive components. The tool was tested in an ancient Egyptian mummy head which represents an extreme case of MRI with short T2*. Two optimized birdcage coils were designed using MAMBA, constructed and compared to a commercial transmit receive head coil. Calculated relative SNR values are in good agreement with the measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agazi Samuel Tesfai
- Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Johannes Fischer
- Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ali Caglar Özen
- Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research Partner Site Freiburg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Eppenberger
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lena Oehrstroem
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frank Rühli
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ute Ludwig
- Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bock
- Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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