Numerical and Workbench Design of 2.35 T Double-Tuned (¹H/²³Na) Nested RF Birdcage Coils Suitable for Animal Size MRI

The birdcage Radio Frequency (RF) coil is one of the most used configurations in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners for the detection of the proton (1H) signal over a large homogeneous volume. More recently, birdcage RF coils have been successfully used also in the field of X-nuclei MRI, where the signal of a second nucleus (e.g. 13C, 23Na, 31P, and many others) needs to be detected with high sensitivity and spatial homogeneity. To this purpose several technical solutions have been adopted to design Double Tuned (DT) volume RF coils, including the recent configuration of the nested birdcage RF coils. One of the main problems in the design of DT RF coils is the decoupling between the 1H and X channels, and a number of solutions have been adopted over the years. In this work, based on numerical and workbench methods, we report the decoupling optimization of DT (1H/23Na) nested RF birdcage coils suitable for 2.35 T MRI scanners encompassing an inner Low-Pass (LP) birdcage used for X-nuclei, an outer High-Pass (HP) birdcage for 1H and an external cylindrical RF shield. We show that a suitable geometrical selection of the two coaxial RF birdcage coils (relative angular orientation, diameters and lengths) and RF shield (diameter, length) allows a significant decoupling optimization. We also provide valuable information about the RF B1+ field homogeneity and efficiency. Our approach was validated both with numerical simulations and workbench testing using DT nested RF coil prototypes.

[1]  Alessandro Pingitore,et al.  Design and simulation of a dual-tuned 1H/23Na birdcage coil for MRS studies in human calf , 2015 .

[2]  Ravi S. Menon,et al.  Sodium T2*-weighted MR imaging of acute focal cerebral ischemia in rabbits. , 2004, Magnetic resonance imaging.

[3]  G B Matson,et al.  A practical double‐tuned 1H/31P quadrature birdcage headcoil optimized for 31P operation , 1999, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[4]  Ewald Moser,et al.  Ultra-High Field NMR and MRI—The Role of Magnet Technology to Increase Sensitivity and Specificity , 2017, Front. Phys..

[5]  Agostino Monorchio,et al.  Design of Distributed Spiral Resonators for the Decoupling of MRI Double-Tuned RF Coils , 2020, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[6]  Suk-Min Hong,et al.  Design of a Quadrature 1H/31P Coil Using Bent Dipole Antenna and Four-Channel Loop at 3T MRI , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[7]  T R Brown,et al.  Two configurations of the four-ring birdcage coil for 1H imaging and 1H-decoupled 31P spectroscopy of the human head. , 1994, Journal of magnetic resonance. Series B.

[8]  Aktham Asfour,et al.  A three-coil RF probe-head at 2.35 T: Potential applications to the 23Na and to the hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI in small animals , 2010, 2010 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology.

[9]  Alnawaz Rehemtulla,et al.  Sodium magnetic resonance imaging of chemotherapeutic response in a rat glioma , 2005, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[10]  Robert Turner,et al.  Fast MRI coil analysis based on 3-D electromagnetic and RF circuit co-simulation. , 2009, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[11]  M Alecci,et al.  Radio frequency magnetic field mapping of a 3 Tesla birdcage coil: Experimental and theoretical dependence on sample properties , 2001, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[12]  Kamil Ugurbil,et al.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Ultrahigh Fields , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[13]  Linda Moy,et al.  A dual‐tuned multichannel bilateral RF coil for 1H/23Na breast MRI at 7 T , 2019, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

[14]  Michael Platten,et al.  Temporal evolution of acute multiple sclerosis lesions on serial sodium (23Na) MRI. , 2019, Multiple sclerosis and related disorders.

[15]  Mary P McDougall,et al.  A three-element 1H-31P dual-tuned array for magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 4.7 T. , 2016, Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual Conference.

[16]  H. Degani,et al.  Detection of evolving acute tubular necrosis with renal 23Na MRI: studies in rats. , 2006, Kidney international.

[17]  M. Jorge Cardoso,et al.  Cortical grey matter sodium accumulation is associated with disability and secondary progressive disease course in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis , 2019, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry.

[18]  Lothar R. Schad,et al.  30 years of sodium/X-nuclei magnetic resonance imaging , 2014, Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine.

[19]  J. Fitzsimmons,et al.  Double resonant quadrature birdcage , 1993, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[20]  Jullie W Pan,et al.  High frequency volume coils for clinical NMR imaging and spectroscopy , 1994, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[21]  B Stoeckel,et al.  Brain tissue sodium concentration in multiple sclerosis: a sodium imaging study at 3 tesla. , 2010, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[22]  Robert E Lenkinski,et al.  Sodium MRI of the human kidney at 3 Tesla , 2006, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[23]  M Alecci,et al.  Practical design of a 4 Tesla double-tuned RF surface coil for interleaved 1H and 23Na MRI of rat brain. , 2006, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[24]  V. V. Tyurnev,et al.  COUPLING COEFFICIENTS OF RESONATORS IN MICROWAVE FILTER THEORY , 2010, Progress In Electromagnetics Research B.

[25]  Britton Chance,et al.  A new double-tuned probed for concurrent 1H and 31P NMR☆ , 1985 .

[26]  Nikolai I Avdievich,et al.  Transceiver-Phased Arrays for Human Brain Studies at 7 T , 2011, Applied magnetic resonance.

[27]  K R Thulborn,et al.  Quantitative tissue sodium concentration mapping of the growth of focal cerebral tumors with sodium magnetic resonance imaging , 1999, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[28]  S. Crozier,et al.  An object-oriented designed finite-difference time-domain simulator for electromagnetic analysis and design in MRI , 2004, The 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[29]  Axel Haase,et al.  Double tuned 23Na 1H nuclear magnetic resonance birdcage for application on mice in vivo , 2001 .

[30]  Maggiorelli F.,et al.  Double Tuned 1H-23Na Birdcage Coils for MRI at 7 T : Performance evaluation through electromagnetic simulations , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Symposium on Medical Measurements and Applications (MeMeA).

[31]  Paul A Bottomley,et al.  Tissue sodium concentration in human brain tumors as measured with 23Na MR imaging. , 2003, Radiology.

[32]  C. Schleich,et al.  Update on imaging in rheumatic diseases: cartilage. , 2018, Clinical and experimental rheumatology.

[33]  N. Jon Shah,et al.  Development and Implementation of a PIN-Diode Controlled, Quadrature-Enhanced, Double-Tuned RF Coil for Sodium MRI , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[34]  S K Hilal,et al.  In vivo NMR imaging of tissue sodium in the intact cat before and after acute cerebral stroke. , 1983, AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology.

[35]  Richard Bowtell,et al.  Dual resonant birdcage coils for 1H detected 13C microscopic imaging at 11.7 T. , 2000 .

[36]  Andrew G. Webb,et al.  Design and performance of a transformer-coupled double resonant quadrature birdcage coil for localized proton and phosphorus spectroscopy in the human calf muscle at 7 T , 2013 .

[37]  Victor D Schepkin,et al.  Sodium MRI of glioma in animal models at ultrahigh magnetic fields , 2016, NMR in biomedicine.

[38]  Alan R. Rath.  Design and performance of a double-tuned bird-cage coil , 1990 .

[39]  Shayan Mookherjea,et al.  Spectral characteristics of coupled resonators , 2006 .

[40]  Karl-Josef Langen,et al.  Imaging of sodium in the brain: a brief review , 2016, NMR in biomedicine.

[41]  Romina Del Bosque,et al.  A three-element 1H-31P dual-tuned array for magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 4.7 T , 2016, 2016 38th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC).

[42]  Xiaoliang Zhang,et al.  Common-Mode Differential-Mode (CMDM) Method for Double-Nuclear MR Signal Excitation and Reception at Ultrahigh Fields , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[43]  Necip Gurler,et al.  FEM Based design and simulation tool for MRI birdcage coils Including eigenfrequency analysis , 2012 .

[44]  J. Miller,et al.  Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia , 2001 .

[45]  K. Thulborn,et al.  Dual‐frequency, dual‐quadrature, birdcage RF coil design with identical b1 pattern for sodium and proton imaging of the human brain at 1.5 T , 1997, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[46]  Fernando E Boada,et al.  Stroke Onset Time Using Sodium MRI in Rat Focal Cerebral Ischemia , 2006, Stroke.

[47]  J R Fitzsimmons,et al.  A transformer‐coupled double‐resonant probe for NMR imaging and spectroscopy , 1987, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[48]  Suk-Min Hong,et al.  Design and construction of a novel 1H/19F double-tuned coil system using PIN-diode switches at 9.4T. , 2017, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[49]  Lucio Frydman,et al.  Multiparametric classification of sub‐acute ischemic stroke recovery with ultrafast diffusion, 23Na, and MPIO‐labeled stem cell MRI at 21.1 T , 2019, NMR in biomedicine.

[50]  Giuseppe Placidi,et al.  Theory of Double Tuned TEM Resonators and Workbench Validation in a Frequency Range of 100-350 MHz , 2005 .

[51]  Robert E. Lenkinski,et al.  A design for a double-tuned birdcage coil for use in an integrated MRI/MRS examination , 1990 .

[52]  M. Weisfeldt,et al.  Rapid in vivo monitoring of chemotherapeutic response using weighted sodium magnetic resonance imaging. , 2000, Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

[53]  Jörg Felder,et al.  Design and implementation of a simple multinuclear MRI system for ultra high-field imaging of animals. , 2016, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[54]  Ravinder R Regatte,et al.  Sodium MRI: methods and applications. , 2014, Progress in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

[55]  Gianluigi Tiberi,et al.  Double Tuned 1H-23Na Birdcage Coils for MRI at 7 T : Performance evaluation through electromagnetic simulations , 2018, MeMeA.

[56]  Denise Davis,et al.  Sodium MR imaging of acute and subacute stroke for assessment of tissue viability. , 2005, Neuroimaging clinics of North America.

[57]  Joël Mispelter,et al.  NMR Probeheads for Biophysical and Biomedical Experiments: Theoretical Principles and Practical Guidelines , 2006 .

[58]  Fernando E Boada,et al.  Sodium mapping in focal cerebral ischemia in the rat by quantitative 23Na MRI , 2009, Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI.

[59]  Alexander Cavallaro,et al.  3 Tesla 23Na Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Acute Kidney Injury. , 2017, Academic radiology.

[60]  Arijitt Borthakur,et al.  Sodium and T1ρ MRI for molecular and diagnostic imaging of articular cartilage , 2006, NMR in biomedicine.

[61]  C. Clark,et al.  Sodium MR Imaging Detection of Mild Alzheimer Disease: Preliminary Study , 2009, American Journal of Neuroradiology.

[62]  Andrew G Webb,et al.  Magnetic Resonance Technology: Hardware and System Component Design , 2016 .

[63]  Friedrich Wetterling,et al.  The design of a double-tuned two-port surface resonator and its application to in vivo hydrogen- and sodium-MRI. , 2012, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[64]  H P Hetherington,et al.  4 T Actively detuneable double-tuned 1H/31P head volume coil and four-channel 31P phased array for human brain spectroscopy. , 2006, Journal of magnetic resonance.

[65]  Arend Heerschap,et al.  Metabolic imaging of multiple X‐nucleus resonances , 2013, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[66]  Jörg Felder,et al.  Design and use of a folded four-ring double-tuned birdcage coil for rat brain sodium imaging at 9.4 T. , 2018, Journal of magnetic resonance.