High-field surface-coil MR imaging of localized anatomy.

For some time it has been recognized that surface-receivercoil designs can enhance certain aspects of magnetic resonance (MR) signal detection [1] . During the last several years, surface coils have been the predominant means of recording the MR spectra of metabolites from animals and humans in vivo [2-4]. Efforts to produce surface-coil images at low magnetic field strengths have been undertaken as well [5, 6] . Recently, we exploited the properties of these coils to achieve enhanced sensitivity in MR imaging at 1.5 T [7]. Initial results demonstrate that significantly improved resolution of small anatomic structures is possible when surface coils are used as receiver elements in high-field MR imaging systems. We have been exploring this new technique as part of an ongoing effort to improve the diagnostic usefulness of MR in specific regions of the anatomy. Presented here are three series of images of the neck, the inner ear, and the lumbar spine obtained using the surface-coil method.