Articles | Volume 5, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-5-137-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-5-137-2016
Regular research article
 | 
06 Apr 2016
Regular research article |  | 06 Apr 2016

Signal modeling of an MRI ribbon solenoid coil dedicated to spinal cord injury investigations

Christophe Coillot, Rahima Sidiboulenouar, Eric Nativel, Michel Zanca, Eric Alibert, Maida Cardoso, Guillaume Saintmartin, Harun Noristani, Nicolas Lonjon, Marine Lecorre, Florence Perrin, and Christophe Goze-Bac

Abstract. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) is a powerful tool for biological investigations. Nevertheless, the imaging resolution performance results in the combination of the magnetic field (B0) and the antenna efficiency. This latter one results in a compromise between the size of the sample, the location of the region of interest and the homogeneity requirement. In the context of spinal cord imaging on mice, a ribbon solenoid coil is used to enhance the efficiency of the MRI experiment. This paper details the calculation of the local magnetization contribution to the induced voltage of MRI coils. The modeling is illustrated on ribbon solenoid antennas used in emitter–receiver mode for the study. The analytical model, which takes into account the emitting mode, the receiving step and the imaging sequence, is compared to the measurement performed on a 9.4 T VARIAN MRI apparatus. The efficiency of the antenna, in terms of signal to noise ratio, is significantly enhanced with respect to a commercial quadrature volumic antenna, given a significant advantage for the study of spinal cord injuries.

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Short summary
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool for biological investigations. Nevertheless, the imaging resolution performance results in the combination of the static magnetic field strength and the radio-frequency coil efficiency. In the context of spinal cord lesion studies, a ribbon solenoid coil is used to enhance the imaging quality of the MRI experiment on a tissue allowing one to perform high-resolution imaging with potential benefits for biological studies.