title: Open access birdcage coils for microscopic imaging of plants at 11.7 T.
abstract: The use of a U-shaped high-pass birdcage coil for microscopic imaging at 11.7 T has been investigated. The study was motivated by the requirement for a side access coil, permitting higher filling factors for the in-vivo imaging of plant petioles and stems. The performance of a U-shaped coil (with a cross section consisting of a 16 mm diameter semi-circle plus two 12 mm length straight sections) has been experimentally assessed, and compared both in terms of homogeneity and sensitivity to a 16 mm diameter conventional (linear) birdcage and a saddle coil of the same diameter. The U-shaped coil, which offers 12 mm width side access, has a significantly better performance than the saddle coil, whilst providing 57% of the B(1) sensitivity of the bird-cage.
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, NG7 2RD, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Köckenberger
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bowtell
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011846:Radio Waves