Abstract #1411

Optimizing an array-compressed parallel transmission system for dynamically RF-shimmed multislice brain imaging at 7T

Charlotte R Sappo^1,2, Jonathan B Martin^2,3, Anuj Sharma^4,5, Xinqiang Yan^2,3,6, and William A Grissom^1,4,5

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States, ²Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN, United States, ³Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States, ⁴Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States, ⁵Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States, ⁶Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Hybrid & Novel Systems Technology, High-Field MRI, RF Systems, Parallel transmit

Motivation: Ultra-high field imaging has several advantages like high SNR but require expensive RF shimming hardware to mitigate image shading artifacts caused by transmit RF field inhomogeneity.

Goal(s): We developed a low-cost, highly customizable hardware solution to extend conventional RF shimming capabilities.

Approach: We used array compressed parallel transmission system with an optimal network and fixed optimal weights designed to sit inside the bore with the coil array

Results: The optimal network achieved about two-fold improvement in RF homogeneity compared to conventional circularly polarized network.

Impact: This is the first time a design framework is described to optimize a full acpTx system for a desired imaging application. This hardware-centric approach has no additional pre-scan preparation or time considerations, lending itself to future clinical use.

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