Tobias Frauenrath1, Wolfgang Renz2,
Jan Rieger1, Andreas Goemmel3, Christoph Butenweg3,
Thoralf Niendorf1,4
1Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility,
Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 2Siemens
Medical Solutions , Germany; 3Chair of Structural Statics and
Dynamics, RWTH, Aachen, Germany; 4Experimental and Clinical
Research Center (ECRC), Charit Campus Buch, Humboldt University, Berlin,
Germany
MRI
holds great potential for elucidating laryngeal and vocal fold anatomy
together with the assessment of physiological processes associated in human
phonation. However, MRI of human phonation remains very challenging due to
the small size of the targeted structures, interfering signal from fat, air
between the vocal folds and surrounding muscles and physiological motion.
These anatomical/physiological constraints translate into stringent technical
requirements in balancing, scan time, image contrast, immunity to
physiological motion, temporal resolution and spatial resolution. Motivated
by these challenges and limitations this study is aiming at translating the
sensitivity gain at ultra-high magnetic fields for enhanced high spatial
resolution 3D imaging of the larynx and vocal tract. To approach this goal a
dedicated two channel TX/RX larynx coil is being proposed.
Keywords