Improvements in carotid plaque imaging using a new eight-element phased array coil at 3T.
OBJECTIVE
To design and compare an eight-channel phased array (PA) coil for carotid imaging to an established four-channel PA design at 3T.


METHODS
An eight-channel PA (8PA) coil was designed specifically for imaging the carotid bifurcation and compared with the existing four-channel (4PA) design using a phantom and by in vivo black-blood magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The 8PA and 4PA were compared in terms of coverage, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).


RESULTS
The 8PA showed up to 1.7-fold improvement in SNR at a depth of 3.5 cm and greater longitudinal coverage at a given SNR on a phantom. The 8PA showed improved vessel wall SNR for high spatial resolution (0.63 mm(2)) PD, T1, and T2 (1.7, 1.7, 1.6 times, respectively; P <or= 0.002) and improved CNR (1.7, 1.6, 1.5 times, respectively; P <or= 0.002). Ultrahigh-resolution (0.27 mm(2)) T1-weighted images showed better SNR and CNR (1.4 times, P <or= 0.0001) on 8PA compared to 4PA.


CONCLUSIONS
Carotid imaging studies may benefit from the improved SNR and larger coverage provided by use of the 8PA.
Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. ninja@u.washington.edu
Niranjan
N
Balu
Vasily L
VL
Yarnykh
Joshua
J
Scholnick
Baocheng
B
Chu
Chun
C
Yuan
Cecil
C
Hayes
D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging
D003287:Contrast Media