(Top left) Overview of the simulation and measurement setups to evaluate the enhancement of metasurfaces on conventional receive coils at different field strengths. (Bott...
Impact Statement:Take-Home Messages •We evaluated the capability of a wireless metasurface to enhance conventional MRI coils at field strengths of 3 T, 1.5 T and for the first time at 0.5...Show More
Abstract:
Metasurfaces have proved valuable in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications through modifying the field profiles of radiofrequency coils to enhance imaging. Using ...Show MoreMetadata
Impact Statement:
Take-Home Messages •We evaluated the capability of a wireless metasurface to enhance conventional MRI coils at field strengths of 3 T, 1.5 T and for the first time at 0.55 T. •The enhancement increased with decreasing field strength, measured to be highest at 0.55 T (10.9-fold) being 3.8 times higher than at 3 T. •The cost-efficient design of the metasurface synergizes particularly with trends towards affordable low-field systems for countries previously underserved with MRIs, whereby the absence of an interface and cabling to the scanner also offers advantages in the workflow of MR-guided percutaneous interventions. •The signal-to-noise ratio of the MR image decreased less from 3 T to 0.55 T next to the metasurface compared to next to the conventional coil, indicating the potential of developments towards even lower field strengths.
Abstract:
Metasurfaces have proved valuable in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications through modifying the field profiles of radiofrequency coils to enhance imaging. Using metasurfaces to enhance a conventional coil, such as the table-integrated spine coil, allows imaging with practically no cables inside the bore. This work investigated the fundamental relationship between an MRI system's field strength and the enhancement effect of a metasurface. We simulated and manufactured grid metasurfaces for field strengths of 0.55 Tesla (0.55 T), 1.5 T and 3 T and evaluated them experimentally. We found increased enhancements of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with lower field strengths. At 0.55 T, the enhancement in the vicinity of the metasurface (10.9-fold) was measured 3.8 times higher than at 3 T. Moreover, the SNR decreased less with field strength next to the metasurface compared to the spine coil. Our results indicate the capability of metasurfaces in low field MRI systems and can stimul...
(Top left) Overview of the simulation and measurement setups to evaluate the enhancement of metasurfaces on conventional receive coils at different field strengths. (Bott...
Published in: IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology ( Volume: 9, Issue: 2, June 2025)
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