Comparison of Cylindrical and Elliptical Geometry Gradient Coils

Sung Man Moon¹, J. Rock Hadley¹, Kenneth Craig Goodrich¹, Dennis L. Parker¹

Serious demands for high performance gradient coils for magnetic resonance imaging have led to the introduction and evaluation of planar and elliptical gradient coils. Cylindrical gradient coils are the current industry standard and give a wide homogeneous imaging region and the most room for patient access. Elliptical gradient coils can attain higher efficiency and lower inductance, leading to higher spatial and temporal resolution in some applications. In spite of the potential increased performance, there have been few if any studies comparing cylindrical and elliptical gradient systems. In this study, we have compared cylindrical and elliptical gradient coil design to assess the relative advantages of each.