Highly flexible (AIR) CoilsHow are the new highly flexible (AIR) coils constructed?
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The next generation of receive-only MRI coils are likely to be highly flexible and configurable, as typified by the Adaptive Image Receive (AIR) coils now marketed by GE Healthcare. These coils are extremely light weight, and can be configured into large arrays in blanket-like assemblies that can be laid over and wrapped around various body parts.
Highly flexible AIR Coil with its linked preamplifier resonator module (Courtesy GE Healthcare)
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Schematic of single element AIR Coil (from McGee et al 2018, under CC BY)
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Each coil element consists of a highly flexible conductive loop together with a preamplifier. The exact construction of the loop is proprietary, but is believed to be a thin silicone tube containing a highly conductive metal alloy (such as gallium-indium-tin) that is liquid at room temperature. The integrated preamplifier minimizes coil-to-coil coupling interactions allowing for much more latitude in placement and overlap of the elements.
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 An AIR Coil blanket (Courtesy GE Healthcare)
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References
McGee KP, Stormont RS, Lindsay SA, et al. Characterization and evaluation of a flexible MRI receive coil array for radiation therapy MR treatment planning using highly decoupled RF circuits. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63(8):pp 08NT02.
Port A, Luechinger R, Albisetti L, et al. Detector clothes for MRI: a wearable array receiver based on liquid metal in elastic tubes. Sci Reports 2020; 10:8844. [DOI LINK]
McGee KP, Stormont RS, Lindsay SA, et al. Characterization and evaluation of a flexible MRI receive coil array for radiation therapy MR treatment planning using highly decoupled RF circuits. Phys Med Biol 2018; 63(8):pp 08NT02.
Port A, Luechinger R, Albisetti L, et al. Detector clothes for MRI: a wearable array receiver based on liquid metal in elastic tubes. Sci Reports 2020; 10:8844. [DOI LINK]
Related Questions
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