Abstract #0221

A Single-Axis Composite Shim Coil Insert for Spectroscopy in the Medial Temporal Lobe of the Human Brain

Parisa Hudson¹, Chad T. Harris¹, William B. Handler¹, Timothy J. Scholl¹, Blaine A. Chronik¹

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) of the human brain suffer from large field inhomogeniety, caused by the presence of air inside the brain, due to the susceptibility differences between air and tissue. To correct for the large inhomogeneities that are consistent between subjects, we present a new approach that utilizes very efficient, short, single-axis composite shim coils used together with existing system shims. These coils require less power, occupy less space, and perform better than a set of general purpose, high order shims.