title: Increasing the signal-to-noise ratio by using vertically stacked phased array coils for low-field magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: A new method is introduced to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems by using a vertically stacked phased coil array. It is shown theoretically that the SNR is increased with the square root of the number of coils in the array if the array signals are properly combined to remove the mutual coupling effect. Based on this, a number of vertically stacked phased coil arrays have been designed and characterized by a numerical simulation method. The performance of these arrays confirms the significant increase of SNR by increasing the number of coils in the arrays. This provides a simple and efficient method to improve the SNR for low-field MRI systems.
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Hon Tat
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Tat Soon
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio