ADVANCED NEXT GEENRATION RADIO FREQUENCY COILS FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

磁共振成像（MRI）是一种安全的非电离诊断工具。这个项目的总体目标是 一个项目是达到非常接近的最终固有信噪比（UISNR）为一个给定的MRI 通过结合非常先进的收发器技术的创新，增强磁场强度。在第一阶段， 高性能头部RF线圈接收器阵列将被原型化，并且SNR性能与 现有的商业产品。第二阶段的重点将是第一阶段线圈优化、机械 外壳设计，然后进行系统体模验证。 MRI是检查软组织结构的首选方法。然而，MRI信号很弱， 平行和反平行自旋的能级分布差异很小（1.5T时约为6ppm）， 有助于信号。临床MRI检查需要高分辨率和/或快速扫描。由于SNR为 满足这些要求的主要限制，它是MRI系统最重要的参数。 MRI SNR可以通过信号平均来增加，但以冗长的扫描时间为代价。追求 一方面，更高的SNR已经导致向使用更高的静磁场的转变， 价格昂贵，并且有选址和安全问题。另一方面，我们正在迅速接近限制， 具有更多接收器通道的MRI系统。 我们提出了新的创新，以优化MRI SNR为一个给定的磁场强度。一般SNR 可以通过增加信号强度或通过减少噪声来增加。我们提出了新的组合 通过有效地实现这两个目标，实现最大、接近极限的固有MRI SNR。技术 在MRI内外都有广泛的应用。一个成功的项目将改善MR 从而减轻基于高成本、高磁场的MRI的负担 系统.建议的工作是原创的。

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe, non-ionizing diagnostic tool. The overall goal of this project is to arrive very close to the ultimate intrinsic signal to noise ratio (UISNR) for a given MRI magnet field strength by combining innovations in very advanced transceiver technology. In Phase I, a high performance head RF coil receiver array will be prototyped and SNR performance compared to an existing commercial product. Emphasis in Phase II will be towards Phase I coil optimization, mechanical housing design followed by systematic phantom validation. MRI is the preferred method for examining soft tissue structures. However MRI signals are weak due to the small difference in energy levels population of parallel and anti-parallel spins (~6ppm at 1.5T) that contribute to the signal. Clinical MRI exams demand high resolution and/or fast scanning. Since SNR is the main limitation on fulfilling these requirements, it is the most important parameter of MRI systems. MRI SNR can be increased by signal averaging at the expense of lengthy scan times. Pursuit of higher SNR on one hand has resulted in a shift toward the use of higher static magnetic fields which is expensive and has siting and safety issues. On the other hand, we are rapidly approaching limitations in MRI systems with greater number of receiver channels. We propose novel innovations to optimize MRI SNR for a given magnet field strength. Generally SNR can be increased by increasing the signal strength or by reducing noise. We propose novel combinations to achieve maximum, near ultimate intrinsic MRI SNR by efficiently accomplishing both. The technology proposed has broad applications within and outside of MRI. A successful project will improve the MR image quality in shorter scan times thereby alleviating burden on high cost, high magnet field based MRI systems. The work proposed is original.