Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE:Ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging poses a number of challenges for robust radio frequency coil designs. A monopole antenna array can potentially overcome key limitations of birdcage coil designs and may provide a useful radio frequency coil for brain imaging. METHODS:Four, 8 and 12...

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Main Authors: A S M Zahid Kausar, David C Reutens, Ewald Weber, Viktor Vegh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214637
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author A S M Zahid Kausar
David C Reutens
Ewald Weber
Viktor Vegh
author_facet A S M Zahid Kausar
David C Reutens
Ewald Weber
Viktor Vegh
author_sort A S M Zahid Kausar
collection DOAJ
description PURPOSE:Ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging poses a number of challenges for robust radio frequency coil designs. A monopole antenna array can potentially overcome key limitations of birdcage coil designs and may provide a useful radio frequency coil for brain imaging. METHODS:Four, 8 and 12 element monopole antenna arrays were simulated using 3 T and 7T magnetic resonance imaging frequencies. For comparison, 4, 8 and 12 element birdcage coils were also simulated. Coil performance was evaluated and compared and the impact of shielding was assessed. A 4 element monopole antenna array was fabricated and bench tested. RESULTS:Comparison of the 4, 8 and 12 element designs suggest that the monopole antenna array leads to better field properties than the birdcage coil in all configurations studied: unloaded, loaded with saline and loaded using a head phantom. Improvements in field properties and homogeneity were evident at both field strengths, implying that the monopole antenna array has potential for head imaging. The monopole antenna array also appears to be more efficient than the comparable birdcage coil design. Additionally, the former is scalable via the addition of more elements whereas our results suggest that this is not the case for the latter. Bench testing results show that the monopole antenna array is well matched with the transmission line, and mutual coupling between elements is sufficiently low. CONCLUSION:We found the monopole antenna array generated a larger field intensity than the birdcage coil design, whilst also producing a more useful magnetic resonance imaging field as measured by radio frequency field homogeneity. Our study suggests that magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can likely benefit from the use of radio frequency monopole antenna arrays.
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spelling doaj.art-b90cba90b3334f66994818ca539563842022-12-21T21:55:23ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01144e021463710.1371/journal.pone.0214637Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.A S M Zahid KausarDavid C ReutensEwald WeberViktor VeghPURPOSE:Ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging poses a number of challenges for robust radio frequency coil designs. A monopole antenna array can potentially overcome key limitations of birdcage coil designs and may provide a useful radio frequency coil for brain imaging. METHODS:Four, 8 and 12 element monopole antenna arrays were simulated using 3 T and 7T magnetic resonance imaging frequencies. For comparison, 4, 8 and 12 element birdcage coils were also simulated. Coil performance was evaluated and compared and the impact of shielding was assessed. A 4 element monopole antenna array was fabricated and bench tested. RESULTS:Comparison of the 4, 8 and 12 element designs suggest that the monopole antenna array leads to better field properties than the birdcage coil in all configurations studied: unloaded, loaded with saline and loaded using a head phantom. Improvements in field properties and homogeneity were evident at both field strengths, implying that the monopole antenna array has potential for head imaging. The monopole antenna array also appears to be more efficient than the comparable birdcage coil design. Additionally, the former is scalable via the addition of more elements whereas our results suggest that this is not the case for the latter. Bench testing results show that the monopole antenna array is well matched with the transmission line, and mutual coupling between elements is sufficiently low. CONCLUSION:We found the monopole antenna array generated a larger field intensity than the birdcage coil design, whilst also producing a more useful magnetic resonance imaging field as measured by radio frequency field homogeneity. Our study suggests that magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can likely benefit from the use of radio frequency monopole antenna arrays.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214637
spellingShingle A S M Zahid Kausar
David C Reutens
Ewald Weber
Viktor Vegh
Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
PLoS ONE
title Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
title_full Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
title_fullStr Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
title_full_unstemmed Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
title_short Monopole antenna array design for 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging.
title_sort monopole antenna array design for 3 t and 7 t magnetic resonance imaging
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214637
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AT viktorvegh monopoleantennaarraydesignfor3tand7tmagneticresonanceimaging