Design of a Cryogenic RF Coil Prototype for a Full Body 1.5T MRI Receive Array

Motivation: The MRI scanning procedure often relies on close-fitting RF coils to maximize signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio and assure image quality. Such an approach impairs patient comfort and requires qualified personnel, which increases the overall costs. Goal(s): This study aims to avoid using close-fitting RF coils by integrating them in the bore of the scanner. Approach: The coil is evaluated by developing a single element cryogenic coil prototype for a wide-bore 1.5T MRI system and with simulation to evaluate SNR and decoupling. Results: Simulations indicate that the coil can achieve 15dB of preamplifier decoupling and that cooling results in a 3dB SNR improvement. Impact: Avoiding close proximity and making RF coils invisible to a patient by integrating them into a bore of an MRI scanner will positively impact operating costs. While the signal strength is reduced, SNR can be partially regained by cryogenic cooling.