Development of Transmit and Receive Coils for 1H MRI/MRS on a 7T MR Scanner

Abstract

High quality images with strong contrast, good resolution and geometrical consistency are of crucial importance in magnetic resonance imaging, where the relatively low intrinsic sensitivity of MR methods places high demands on the imaging hardware. One of many key components in the imaging system is the radiofrequency coil, responsible for transmitting excitation signals and/or listening for response from the object. In this project a number of such coils are developed for specific applications (namely proton imaging of rat and fish brains), then evaluated against phantoms and empirically in simulated imaging situations. Evaluation of the produced coils shows promising initial results, with various opportunities for further refinement into a device suitable for regular use.