A Fast Parallel Imaging Rotary Phased Array Head Coil with Improved Sensitivity Profile Deep in the Center of the Brain

A new class of a receive-only 2 T 4-element rotary phased array head coil has been proposed for MRI brain imaging applications. Coil elements of the rotary phased array head coil have "paddle-like" structures consisting of a pair of main conductors located on opposite sides, inserted equi-angularly around and over the head. Using such a unique design, the proposed rotary head coil can improve the sensitivity deep at the centre of the brain and produces highly homogeneous brain images. The rotary phased array head coil is numerically modeled using a hybrid MoM/FEM method and a prototype was constructed accordingly. In vivo MR brain imaging using the prototype rotary phased array head coil has been undertaken and the acquired brain images show high homogeneity as anticipated. In addition, parallel imaging, VD-GRAPPA, is used in conjunction with the rotary phased array head coil to enable rapid imaging.