A self-decoupled 20/32-channel Tx/Rx array for simultaneous brain and spinal cord MRI at 7T

Motivation: Simultaneous functional imaging of the brain and spinal cord can offer valuable insights into the interactions and processing pathways between these organsGoal(s): The goal is to build an transmit array and receive array for 7T the brain and spinal cord MRI. Approach: The approach uses corner-fed self-decoupling for transmit array and center-fed self-decoupling for receive array. Results: A 20-channel modular self-decoupled transmit array and 32-channel overlapped receive array were fabricated. Both arrays exhibit excellent matching performance, acceptable decoupling, and high detuning ability. Thanks to the self-decoupling technology, both arrays are splitable which simplifies the setup and allows for easier access by subjects. Impact: The proposed device will solve the hardware issue and permit studies of healthy subjects to improve our understanding of the resting-state connectivity and interaction between the brain and spinal cord, compensating impaired sensory, motor, or autonomic functions in neurological disorders.