Variable Geometry Elliptical Transceiver Phased Array for Imaging of the Human Brain at 7 T

Nikolai I. Avdievich¹, Jullie W. Pan¹, Andrey M. Kuznetsov¹, Hoby P. Hetherington¹

Despite the availability of 7T systems dating from late 1990s, their widespread use in clinical applications has been slowed by technical hurdles associated with detector design. Transceiver phased arrays in combination with multi-channel transmit systems provide a platform for RF shimming. Array performance can be further improved by adjusting arrays geometry to accommodate various head sizes. In this work we describe an 8-element split elliptical 7T transceiver phased array with adjustable geometry and a method for individualized optimization of the RF phases and amplitudes. This combination provides for the efficient generation of a sufficiently homogenous B1 at 7T.