Computational Analysis of a Dual Loop Dipole Antenna and Its Interleaving Array for Improving Transceiver ∣B1∣-field for MRI

Abstract

This article intends to present the electromagnetic (EM) insight of the operation of a double loop shaped dual loop dipole (DLD) antenna as a single-channel transceiver coil and in an array configuration of multi-channel transceiver coil, designed to provide high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using numerical simulations for 300 MHz magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thus, this section includes the comparison of DLD antenna and commonly used loop coils through EM simulations. The use of a DLD antenna is proposed to address the length issue that traditional straight dipole have by making a spiral type in a loop style, while having the same effective physical length of the straight dipole. The magnetic flux density (∣B1∣)-fields of the DLD antenna and the traditional loop coil are compared by field maps acquired by EM simulations. In addition, the DLD antenna has been extended to a 7-channels array, for which the magnetic field coupling between each coil is analyzed and presented through the noise correlation matrix. The use of the DLD antenna exhibits higher ∣B1∣-field intensity while keeping the similar uniformity than a surface loop coil. We use the DLD antenna 7-channel array to observe its utility as multi-channel with short distance overlap between elements; each element is approximately 37 mm away from neighboring element. Transceiver array arrangements also show improved coil performance, especially the interleaving configuration with loop coil indicates lowered mutual inductance coupling at calculated noise correlation matrix. The proposed DLD antenna is expected to induce rapid imaging and high ∣B1∣-field, when expanded to multi-channel planar or volume configuration since it can maximize the number of configuring coil elements within limited imaging area leading effective parallel imaging and deeper penetration depth due to the traveling wave.