Abstract #0146

Discrete RF Coil Components Introduce Significant Noise and Artifacts Into PET Images in Combined PET-MRI Systems

Geron A. Bindseil¹, William B. Handler¹, Blaine A. Chronik¹,²

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; ²Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

In simultaneous PET-MRI, the RF coil is located within the PET ring. Many RF coils consist of a symmetrical arrangement of discrete highly attenuating components: solder and capacitors. The authors investigated the effect of a birdcage RF coil on PET image artifacts and noise through a comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation utilizing the commercial reconstruction software of the small-animal system modeled. Attenuation-corrected PET images from simulations with and without an RF coil were compared. The RF coil case had 40% higher scatter fraction, 25% higher noise and artifacts. RF coils having discrete components in the PET FOV should be designed carefully.