{"doi":"10.1101/2024.08.30.24312851","title":"Coupled stack-up volume RF coils for low-field open MR imaging","abstract":"Background: Low-field open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, typically operating at magnetic field strengths below 1 Tesla, has greatly expanded the accessibility of MRI technology to meet a wide range of patient needs. However, the inherent challenges of low-field MRI, such as limited signal-to-noise ratios and limited availability of dedicated radiofrequency (RF) coils, have prompted the need for innovative coil designs that can improve imaging quality and diagnostic capabilities. Purpose: In response to these challenges, we introduce the coupled stack-up volume coil, a novel RF coil design that addresses the shortcomings of conventional birdcage in the context of low-field open MRI. Methods: The proposed coupled stack-up volume coil design utilizes a unique architecture that optimizes both transmit/receive efficiency and RF field homogeneity and offers the advantage of a simple design and construction, making it a practical and feasible solution for low-field MRI applications. This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the theoretical framework, design considerations, and experimental validation of this innovative coil design. Results: We demonstrate the superior performance of the coupled stack-up volume coil in achieving 47.7% higher transmit/receive efficiency and 68% more uniform magnetic field distribution compared to traditional birdcage coils in electromagnetic simulations. Bench tests results show that the B1 field efficiency of coupled stack-up volume coil is 57.3% higher compared with that of conventional birdcage coil. Conclusions: The proposed coupled stack-up volume coil outperforms the conventional birdcage coil in terms of B1 efficiency, imaging coverage, and low-frequency operation capability. This design provides a robust and simple solution to low-field MR RF coil design.","journal":"medRxiv","year":2024,"id":487293,"datarank":0.20794415416798362,"base_score":1.3862943611198906,"endowment":1.3862943611198906,"self_citation_contribution":0.20794415416798362,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.20794415416798362,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":3,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9543,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2024-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":1110066,"name":"Aditya Ashok Bhosale","orcid":"0000-0002-2796-1472","position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1331253,"name":"Xiaoliang Zhang","orcid":"0000-0002-2224-6373","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1110993,"name":"Yunkun Zhao","orcid":"0009-0006-2859-4500","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":49,"raw_metadata":{"citation_network_status":"fetched"},"created_at":"2026-07-19T02:08:06.013846Z","pmid":"39252906","pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}