Design and application of a four-channel transmit/receive surface coil for functional cardiac imaging at 7T

PURPOSE: To design and evaluate a four-channel cardiac transceiver coil array for functional cardiac imaging at 7T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A four-element cardiac transceiver surface coil array was developed with two rectangular loops mounted on an anterior former and two rectangular loops on a posterior former. specific absorption rate (SAR) simulations were performed and a Bmath image calibration method was applied prior to obtain 2D FLASH CINE (mSENSE, R = 2) images from nine healthy volunteers with a spatial resolution of up to 1 x 1 x 2.5 mm3. RESULTS: Tuning and matching was found to be better than 10 dB for all subjects. The decoupling (S21) was measured to be >18 dB between neighboring loops, >20 dB for opposite loops, and >30 dB for other loop combinations. SAR values were well within the limits provided by the IEC. Imaging provided clinically acceptable signal homogeneity with an excellent blood-myocardium contrast applying the Bmath image calibration approach. CONCLUSION: A four-channel cardiac transceiver coil array for 7T was built, allowing for cardiac imaging with clinically acceptable signal homogeneity and an excellent blood-myocardium contrast. Minor anatomic structures, such as pericardium, mitral, and tricuspid valves and their apparatus, as well as trabeculae, were accurately delineated.