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A Degenerate Birdcage with Integrated Tx/Rx Switches and Butler Matrix for the Human Limbs at 7 T

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Abstract

The theoretically known degeneracy condition of the band-pass birdcage coil has rarely been exploited in transmit coil designs. We have created an eight-channel degenerate birdcage for the human limbs at 7 T, with dedicated Tx/Rx switches and a Butler matrix. The coil can be split into two half cylinders, as required for its application to patients with limited mobility. The design of the coil, the Butler matrix, and Tx/Rx switches relied on a combination of analytical, circuital, and numerical simulations. The birdcage theory was extended to the degenerate case. The theoretical and practical aspects of the design and construction of the coil are presented. The performance of the coil was demonstrated by simulations, workbench, and scanner measurements. The fully assembled prototype presents good performance in terms of efficiency, B1 homogeneity, and signal-to-noise ratio, despite the asymmetry introduced by the splittable design. The first in vivo images of the knee are also shown. A novel RF coil design consisting of an eight-channel splittable degenerate birdcage has been developed, and it is now available for 7 T MRI applications of the human lower limbs, including high-resolution imaging of the knee cartilages and of the patellar trabecular structure.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partly funded by the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) within the TESLA project (INFN-CNS5). The authors are grateful to Tommaso Napolitano (INFN, Frascati National Laboratory) for 3D printing the coil support. The authors also thank all GE Healthcare employees who contributed to this work.

Author contribution

RS, GT, AR, and MT designed the study; RS, GT, and FM performed simulations and coil construction; MS contributed to the in vivo protocol, as well as with scanning assistance and coil interface/troubleshooting; MEF, MM, VZ, and MT developed the image acquisition protocol for in vivo imaging tests; BR and MP tested the coil performance for pTx on simulations. AR and MT raised funds for this project and managed the study; RS, GT, and AR drafted the manuscript; all authors revised and improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, University of Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy

    Riccardo Stara & Maria Evelina Fantacci

  2. Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127, Pisa, Italy

    Riccardo Stara, Fabio Morsani & Alessandra Retico

  3. Department of Radiology, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Riccardo Stara, Mihir Pendse & Brian K. Rutt

  4. IMAGO7 Foundation, Viale Del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy

    Gianluigi Tiberi & Michela Tosetti

  5. GE Applied Science Laboratory, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy

    Mark Symms

  6. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana (AOUP), Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy

    Massimo Marletta & Virna Zampa

  7. IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno, 331, 56018, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy

    Michela Tosetti

Authors
  1. Riccardo Stara
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  2. Gianluigi Tiberi
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  3. Fabio Morsani
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  4. Mark Symms
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  6. Massimo Marletta
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  7. Virna Zampa
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  8. Mihir Pendse
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  9. Alessandra Retico
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  10. Brian K. Rutt
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  11. Michela Tosetti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Riccardo Stara.

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Conflict of interest

Mark Symms is currently employed at GE Healthcare. Brian Rutt receives research support from GE Healthcare. All other authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Stara, R., Tiberi, G., Morsani, F. et al. A Degenerate Birdcage with Integrated Tx/Rx Switches and Butler Matrix for the Human Limbs at 7 T. Appl Magn Reson 48, 307–326 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-017-0864-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-017-0864-2

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