Ananda Kumar1,
LeRoy Blawat1, Michael Schr2, Peter Barker3
1Resonant Research LLC., Baltimore, MD,
United States; 2Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH, United States; 3Radiology,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
Two
critical challenges encountered in the development of MR transmit elements at
very high field strengths are RF power deposition and excitation field
homogeneity. A quadrature transmit loop elements pair was developed for 7T
breast MRI/MRSI using full-wave numerical EM methods. Field homogeneity and
SAR values are accurately predicted by the EM methods employed and
facilitates in the development of transmit elements for breast MR with
improved field homogeneity with appropriate RF safety limits. The performance
of the coil was successfully evaluated on an agar gel phantom and on a
healthy volunteer.