Impact of Matching Network Losses on RF Coil Q and SNR at Low Field Strengths.

Motivation: RF Coil design for low frequencies. Goal(s): Demonstrate the impact of losses in different matching network topologiesApproach: we compared three- and four-element matching networks on 12 cm diameter coils at 10, 23.55, and 63.6 MHz. and evaluated coil loss and SNR. Results: At 10 and 23.55MHz, the coils with three-element (single stage) matching networks exhibited approximately 50% lower unloaded Q compared to coils with four-element matching networks, whereas unloaded Q values were within 3% for three- and four-element matched coils at 63.6MHz. SNR at 23.55MHz (0.55T) was approximately 30% higher for the four-element matched coil over the three-element matched coil. Impact: Resistive losses in four-element matching networks can be significantly lower than those of three-element networks at low frequencies or for lightly loaded coils, resulting in higher quality factor and SNR.