RF Magnetic Field Profiling with a Dielectric Bore Lining for Traveling Waves in a 3-T MRI Scanner: A Computational Study

Abstract

Traveling-wave magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be advantageous over the classical, quasistatic or near-field MRI. However, it is restricted to ultra-high static magnetic fields in the scanner and the correspondingly high RF excitation magnetic field frequencies due to fundamental constraints in cutoff frequencies of the MRI bore, considered as a waveguide. Through a computational study, we propose translating traveling-wave ideas to a 3-tesla scanner, where the RF magnetic field frequency is 127.8 MHz, using a highpermittivity dielectric layer (lining) that is built into the bore. With the lining, we can achieve traveling-wave modes inside the imaging phantoms even at 3 T, where this is generally not possible. We present results obtained using the higher order method of moments in the surface integral equation formulation, previously established as an efficient, accurate, and reliable technique for modeling of RF fields in MRI applications. Our simulations of a simple circularly polarized RF probe and dielectric lining give rise to a considerably uniform circularly polarized RF magnetic field inside phantoms in the clinical scanner.