Joseph Rispoli, Professor, Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, will lecture on "Parallel Transmit and Wearable Receive Array Radiofrequency Coils for 7T and 3T MRI."
Abstract: There have been several recent advancements in radiofrequency (RF) coil development for MRI to improve both image quality and patient comfort. At 7T, performance improvements are achieved through the utilization of multiple transmit channels, known as parallel transmit (pTx). This technique facilitates improving the RF field (B1) homogeneity through amplitude and phase adjustments to each channel, known as B1 shimming. Furthermore, each channel may transmit a unique waveform, i.e., dynamic pTx, with the combination of channels generating the desired target B1 field pattern. On the receive side, one area of coil improvement is the trend towards lightweight, flexible, and even wearable coils. By allowing for conformation around a variety of anatomies, stretchable coils can provide a more comfortable patient experience while enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio given the proximity to the body. In this talk, I will provide an overview of our group’s efforts to develop and validate electromagnetic modeling workflows that accurately reflect the design and performance of 7T parallel transmit array coils, thus ensuring patient safety while maximizing the sensitivity of ultra-high field MRI. I will also discuss our group’s efforts to create wearable and stretchable receive arrays to enhance imaging performance while improving patient comfort.
