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Abstract:
A number of groups are involved in ultra-high field MRI (≥7T) research because of its promise in increasing signal to noise ratio and improved contrast. RF coils, being the front-end of the imaging chain, play a significant role in determining the quality of the MR experiment. Custom built coils are used quite often at higher field strengths due to lack of suitable commercial coils. At this frequency, the RF field distribution across the sample is inhomogeneous due to the shorter wavelength in tissue and increases the risk of localized areas with elevated power deposition. Hence it is important that the RF coil meets the safety requirements before it is approved for human use.
At the Max Planck Institute in Tuebingen, we developed a procedure for performance and safety evaluation of our home-built RF coils. In this presentation, I will talk about the design methods, performance evaluation and safety evaluation of an RF coil array built for human brain imaging at 9.4T.