Comparison of three multichannel transmit/receive radiofrequency coil configurations for anatomic and functional cardiac MRI at 7.0T: implications for clinical imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To implement, examine, and compare three multichannel transmit/receive coil configurations for cardiovascular MR (CMR) at 7T.


METHODS
Three radiofrequency transmit-receive (TX/RX) coils with 4-, 8-, and 16-coil elements were used. Ten healthy volunteers (seven males, age 28 ± 4 years) underwent CMR at 7T. For all three RX/TX coils, 2D CINE FLASH images of the heart were acquired. Cardiac chamber quantification, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis, parallel imaging performance assessment, and image quality scoring were performed.


RESULTS
Mean total examination time was 29 ± 5 min. All images obtained with the 8- and 16-channel coils were diagnostic. No significant difference in ejection fraction (EF) (P > 0.09) or left ventricular mass (LVM) (P > 0.31) was observed between the coils. The 8- and 16-channel arrays yielded a higher mean SNR in the septum versus the 4-channel coil. The lowest geometry factors were found for the 16-channel coil (mean ± SD 2.3 ± 0.5 for R = 4). Image quality was rated significantly higher (P < 0.04) for the 16-channel coil versus the 8- and 4-channel coils.


CONCLUSIONS
All three coil configurations are suitable for CMR at 7.0T under routine circumstances. A larger number of coil elements enhances image quality and parallel imaging performance but does not impact the accuracy of cardiac chamber quantification.


CONCLUSIONS
• Cardiac chamber quantification using 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging is feasible.                                                     • Examination times for cardiac chamber quantification at 7.0T match current clinical practice.                                                     • Multichannel transceiver RF technology facilitates improved image quality and parallel imaging performance.                                                     • Increasing the number of RF channels does not influence cardiac chamber quantification.
Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Strasse 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany.
Lukas
L
Winter
Peter
P
Kellman
Wolfgang
W
Renz
Andreas
A
Gräßl
Fabian
F
Hezel
Christof
C
Thalhammer
Florian
F
von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff
Valeriy
V
Tkachenko
Jeanette
J
Schulz-Menger
Thoralf
T
Niendorf
D000328:Adult; D057791:Cardiac Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult