Single port quadrature polarization of two birdcage coils for small animal imaging

Motivation: The development of hardware dedicated to pre-clinical applications that can produce high quality images for small animal MRI systems with limited transmission channels. Goal(s): a double birdcage coil that can deliver uniform field for multiple rats, while having only one transmission channel. Approach: Employing electromagnetic simulations, we devised a geometric arrangement comprising two birdcage coils with a leg distribution rotated relative to each other. This configuration enables the generation of uniform, high-intensity circularly polarized fields. Results: Uniform magnetic fields were acquired with double birdcage coil with a single excitation port. These results also showed uniform field and with similar intensity between two rats. Impact: By employing double birdcage coils with rotated leg distributions, we achieve the generation of uniform and strong circularly polarized magnetic fields. This breakthrough offers significant advancements in pre-clinical applications and has the potential to improve research in small animal MRI.