Implementation of Bi-2223 HTS tapes as RF Coils for 3T MRI System

One way to reduce receiving coil noise in MRI scans is using non-resistive high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils. They show advantages of much lower cost and easier fabrication over HTS thin film coils. In this work, we built a 200 mm in diameter Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x (Bi-2223) tape HTS RF coil and demonstrated that the SNR of using the HTS tape coil was 2.22 folds higher than that of the traditional copper coil for a phantom MR study. Test results were in agreement with predictions, and the error of predicted SNR gains and measured SNR gains is about 0.9%. In vivo imaging, we also demonstrated that the SNR of using the HTS tape coil was 1.95 folds higher than that of the traditional copper coil for a human wrist MR study. The HTS coil can be expected to generate higher SNR gain after optimization. Further applications functional MRI is under investigation to test the power of this HTSC system in our 3T system.