QUADRATURE RF COIL ARRAYS FOR MRI OF THE HUMAN BREAST

在此期间，我们将开发一个射频天线阵列， 用于优化人类乳房的磁共振成像（MRI）。 最近MRI技术的发展使得灵敏的检测成为可能 乳腺癌、植入物渗漏和其他异常，但这些 这些技术需要比 目前市场上销售的线性线圈。主要技术目标是生产 信噪比比现有技术提高3040%， 在通常需要一个单一的时间从两个乳房收购 乳房我们将设计一个四通道阵列，以实现最佳的多通道或 时分多路复用接收器。对于单通道系统，我们将设计 优化的、可切换的、通用的正交线圈。另外还有按 单通道实现将提供近似多通道 性能的一些应用程序，使用窄带滤波器。商业 合作伙伴关系将形成销售和分销的产品产生 从这项工作，从而创造了更短的成像时间的潜力 和/或2500 plus MR系统上的更高分辨率图像， 数组将被修改。 建议的商业应用：开发高性能 乳腺成像线圈阵列将开辟一个新的应用领域， 超过2,500台临床MRI系统。如果只有20%的网站 购买这些设备，将有500个单位出售约25000美元 每一个，给出了大约12，500，000美元的市场。乳房的核磁共振成像 如果它变得更受欢迎，这个数字可能会大幅增加。

During this grant period, we will develop a radio frequency antenna array for optimized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human breast. Recent MRI technique development has made possible sensitive detection of breast cancer, implant leakage, and other abnormalities, but these techniques require greater signal-to-noise (SNR) than produced by the linear coils currently marketed. The primary technical goal is to produce a 3040% improvement in SNR over existing technology and simultaneous acquisition from both breasts in the time usually required for a single breast. We will design a four channel array for optimum multi-channel or time multiplexed receivers. For single channel systems, we will design optimized, switchable, generalized quadrature coils. In addition, a single channel implementation will provide approximate multi-channel performance for some applications, using narrowband filters. Commercial partnerships will be formed for sale and distribution of products arising from this work, thus creating the potential for shorter imaging times and/or higher resolution images on the 2500 plus MR systems for which the array will be adapted. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The development of a high performance breast imaging coil array would open up a new area of application for more than 2,500 clinical MRI systems. If only 20% of these sites purchased these devices, there would be 500 units sold for about $25,000 each, giving an approximate market of $12,500,000. As MRI of the breast becomes more popular, this figure could increase substantially.