Variable Field-of-View Array Body Coil for High Field MR

描述（由申请人提供）： 本项目的目标是开发一种用于MRI成像的改进的自旋激发系统。该系统旨在取代下一代3T临床扫描仪和未来高场型号中的体线圈。所提出的系统是可变视野阵列体线圈（VFA），旨在促进高分辨率神经或心脏扫描，以及主要器官系统（如肝脏）的大视野采集。VFA将克服由于比吸收率（SAR）限制而导致的当前方案限制。VFA还将提供更好的激发均匀性，以区分脂肪和其他分子位移，并提供更经济的功率效率。 待开发的VFA体线圈采用一组布置在扫描仪轴上的短体积线圈组件。与最近的“双”梯度设计一样，单个线圈将具有特定的空间灵敏度。通过用单独的放大器驱动组件，组件变成能够连续可变激励分布的相控阵列。对于高强度，轮廓可以变窄，因此具有高的空间和时间扫描分辨率。或者，轮廓可以扩大到大器官系统的覆盖范围。在SAR和功率使用的限制范围内，可变剖面允许更高的临床性能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this project is the development of an improved spin excitation system for MRI imaging. The system is intended to replace the body coil in the next generation of 3T clinical scanners and in future high-field models. The proposed system, a Variable Field of view Array body coil (VFA), is designed to facilitate high resolution neurological or cardiac scanning, as well as large field of view acquisition for major organ systems such as the liver. The VFA will overcome current protocol limitations due to Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) constraints. The VFA will also provide better excitation uniformity for distinguishing fat and other molecular shifts, and deliver more economical power efficiency. The VFA body coil, to be developed, employs a set of short volume coil assemblies arranged on the axis of the scanner. Like recent "dual" gradient designs, the individual coils will have specific spatial sensitivity. By driving the assemblies with separate amplifiers, the assemblies become a phased array capable of a continuously variable excitation profile. The profile can be narrowed for high intensity, and therefore high spatial and temporal scan resolution. Or, the profile can be broadened tbr coverage of large organ systems. The variable profile allows higher clinical performance within the constraints of SAR and power usage.