RADIOFREQUENCY COIL DESIGN AND APPLICATION TO MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND CONTROL OF MICRO-BEADS by

Radio Frequency coil development, one component of a functioning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, has evolved since the beginning of MRI into a very diverse area. Today for example, transmit and receive coils, volume and surface coils, and single channel and multiple channel coils are all included. Coils are created to fit the particular needs of specific research purposes, taking into consideration advantages and disadvantages of different types of coils. The shape and size of the anatomy to be scanned and the nuclei from which signal will be acquired are a few of the various considerations to account for. The majority of this work details the development of a new dual-tuned birdcage coil and its evaluation, by comparing it to a commercial dual-tuned surface coil. Simulations of the new design are presented, as compared to an existing dual-tuned coil, along with experimental results from the completed coil. A secondary focus of this work details the construction of a three axis electromagnetic coil designed to drive magnetic micro-beads through a fluid. The creation of a rotating magnetic field that would turn helical structures is discussed followed by simulations on creating a rotating magnetic field in any direction with coils aligned in the three Cartesian directions. INDEX WORDS: Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy, Chemical Shift Imaging, Radio Frequency Coil Design, Birdcage Coil, Dual-Tuned, Micro-Beads RADIOFREQUENCY COIL DESIGN AND APPLICATION TO MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND CONTROL OF MICRO-BEADS