title: Optimized 14 + 1 receive coil array and position system for 3D high-resolution MRI of dental and maxillomandibular structures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to design, build and test a multielement receive coil array and position system, which is optimized for three-dimensional (3D) high-resolution dental and maxillomandibular MRI with high patient comfort.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 14 + 1 coil array and positioning system, allowing easy handling by the technologists, reproducible positioning of the patients and high patient comfort, was tested with three healthy volunteers using a 3.0-T MRI machine (Siemens Skyra; Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). High-resolution 3D T1 weighted, water excitation T1 weighted and fat-saturated T2 weighted imaging sequences were scanned, and 3D image data were reformatted in different orientations and curvatures to aid diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The high number of receiving coils and the comfortable positioning of the coil array close to the patient's face provided a high signal-to-noise ratio and allowed high quality, high resolution, 3D image data to be acquired within reasonable scan times owing to the possibility of parallel image acquisition acceleration. Reformatting the isotropic 3D image data in different views is helpful for diagnosis, e.g. panoramic reconstruction. The visibility of soft tissues such as the mandibular canal, nutritive canals and periodontal ligaments was exquisite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The optimized MRI receive coil array and positioning system for dental and oral-maxillofacial imaging provides a valuable tool for detecting and diagnosing pathologies in dental and oral-maxillofacial structures while avoiding radiation dose. The high patient comfort, as achieved by our design, is very crucial, since image artefacts due to movement or failing to complete the examination jeopardize the diagnostic value of MRI examinations.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostics and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sedlacik
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostics and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kutzner
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostics and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khokale
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostics and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostics and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fiehler
authors.affiliation: 2 NORAS MRI products GmbH, Höchberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: 2 NORAS MRI products GmbH, Höchberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gareis
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smeets
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heiland
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandre T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Assaf
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D004867:Equipment Design; D006253:Haversian System / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D056888:Patient Positioning; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: apical foramen; dental pulp; periodontal ligament; salivary glands