@article{FiedlerOrzadaFloeseretal.2022, author = {Fiedler, Thomas M. and Orzada, Stephan and Fl{\"o}ser, Martina and Rietsch, Stefan H. G. and Schmidt, Simon and Stelter, Jonathan K. and Wittrich, Marco and Quick, Harald H. and Bitz, Andreas and Ladd, Mark E.}, title = {Performance and safety assessment of an integrated transmitarray for body imaging at 7 T under consideration of specificabsorption rate, tissue temperature, and thermal dose}, series = {NMR in Biomedicine}, volume = {35}, journal = {NMR in Biomedicine}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, issn = {0952-3480 (Print)}, doi = {10.1002/nbm.4656}, pages = {1 -- 17}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In this study, the performance of an integrated body-imaging array for 7 T with 32 radiofrequency (RF) channels under consideration of local specific absorption rate (SAR), tissue temperature, and thermal dose limits was evaluated and the imaging performance was compared with a clinical 3 T body coil. Thirty-two transmit elements were placed in three rings between the bore liner and RF shield of the gradient coil. Slice-selective RF pulse optimizations for B1 shimming and spokes were performed for differently oriented slices in the body under consideration of realistic constraints for power and local SAR. To improve the B1+ homogeneity, safety assessments based on temperature and thermal dose were performed to possibly allow for higher input power for the pulse optimization than permissible with SAR limits. The results showed that using two spokes, the 7 T array outperformed the 3 T birdcage in all the considered regions of interest. However, a significantly higher SAR or lower duty cycle at 7 T is necessary in some cases to achieve similar B1+ homogeneity as at 3 T. The homogeneity in up to 50 cm-long coronal slices can particularly benefit from the high RF shim performance provided by the 32 RF channels. The thermal dose approach increases the allowable input power and the corresponding local SAR, in one example up to 100 W/kg, without limiting the exposure time necessary for an MR examination. In conclusion, the integrated antenna array at 7 T enables a clinical workflow for body imaging and comparable imaging performance to a conventional 3 T clinical body coil.}, language = {en} } @article{FiedlerLaddClemensetal.2020, author = {Fiedler, Thomas M. and Ladd, Mark E. and Clemens, Markus and Bitz, Andreas}, title = {Safety of subjects during radiofrequency exposure in ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging}, series = {IEEE Letters on Electromagnetic Compatibility Practice and Applications}, volume = {2}, journal = {IEEE Letters on Electromagnetic Compatibility Practice and Applications}, number = {3}, publisher = {IEEE}, address = {New York, NY}, isbn = {2637-6423}, doi = {10.1109/LEMCPA.2020.3029747}, pages = {1 -- 8}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most important medical imaging techniques. Since the introduction of MRI in the mid-1980s, there has been a continuous trend toward higher static magnetic fields to obtain i.a. a higher signal-to-noise ratio. The step toward ultra-high-field (UHF) MRI at 7 Tesla and higher, however, creates several challenges regarding the homogeneity of the spin excitation RF transmit field and the RF exposure of the subject. In UHF MRI systems, the wavelength of the RF field is in the range of the diameter of the human body, which can result in inhomogeneous spin excitation and local SAR hotspots. To optimize the homogeneity in a region of interest, UHF MRI systems use parallel transmit systems with multiple transmit antennas and time-dependent modulation of the RF signal in the individual transmit channels. Furthermore, SAR increases with increasing field strength, while the SAR limits remain unchanged. Two different approaches to generate the RF transmit field in UHF systems using antenna arrays close and remote to the body are investigated in this letter. Achievable imaging performance is evaluated compared to typical clinical RF transmit systems at lower field strength. The evaluation has been performed under consideration of RF exposure based on local SAR and tissue temperature. Furthermore, results for thermal dose as an alternative RF exposure metric are presented.}, language = {en} } @article{OrzadaFiedlerBitzetal.2020, author = {Orzada, Stephan and Fiedler, Thomas M. and Bitz, Andreas and Ladd, Mark E. and Quick, Harald H.}, title = {Local SAR compression with overestimation control to reduce maximum relative SAR overestimation and improve multi-channel RF array performance}, series = {Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine}, journal = {Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine}, number = {34 (2021)}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, isbn = {1352-8661}, doi = {10.1007/s10334-020-00890-0}, pages = {153 -- 164}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Objective In local SAR compression algorithms, the overestimation is generally not linearly dependent on actual local SAR. This can lead to large relative overestimation at low actual SAR values, unnecessarily constraining transmit array performance. Method Two strategies are proposed to reduce maximum relative overestimation for a given number of VOPs. The first strategy uses an overestimation matrix that roughly approximates actual local SAR; the second strategy uses a small set of pre-calculated VOPs as the overestimation term for the compression. Result Comparison with a previous method shows that for a given maximum relative overestimation the number of VOPs can be reduced by around 20\% at the cost of a higher absolute overestimation at high actual local SAR values. Conclusion The proposed strategies outperform a previously published strategy and can improve the SAR compression where maximum relative overestimation constrains the performance of parallel transmission.}, language = {en} } @article{OrzadaSolbachGratzetal.2019, author = {Orzada, Stephan and Solbach, Klaus and Gratz, Marcel and Brunheim, Sascha and Fiedler, Thomas M. and Johst, S{\"o}ren and Bitz, Andreas and Shooshtary, Samaneh and Abuelhaija, Asjraf and Voelker, Maximilian N. and Rietsch, Stefan H. G. and Kraff, Oliver and Maderwald, Stefan and Fl{\"o}ser, Martina and Oehmingen, Mark and Quick, Harald H. and Ladd, Mark E.}, title = {A 32-channel parallel transmit system add-on for 7T MRI}, series = {Plos one}, journal = {Plos one}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0222452}, year = {2019}, language = {en} } @article{NoureddineKraffLaddetal.2019, author = {Noureddine, Yacine and Kraff, Oliver and Ladd, Mark E. and Wrede, Karsten and Chen, Bixia and Quick, Harald H. and Schaefers, Georg and Bitz, Andreas}, title = {Radiofrequency induced heating around aneurysm clips using a generic birdcage head coil at 7 Tesla under consideration of the minimum distance to decouple multiple aneurysm clips}, series = {Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}, journal = {Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}, number = {Early view}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1522-2594}, doi = {10.1002/mrm.27835}, pages = {1 -- 17}, year = {2019}, language = {en} } @article{RietschBrunheimOrzadaetal.2019, author = {Rietsch, Stefan H. G. and Brunheim, Sascha and Orzada, Stephan and Voelker, Maximilian N. and Maderwald, Stefan and Bitz, Andreas and Gratz, Marcel and Ladd, Mark E. and Quick, Harald H.}, title = {Development and evaluation of a 16-channel receive-only RF coil to improve 7T ultra-high field body MRI with focus on the spine}, series = {Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}, journal = {Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}, number = {Early view}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1522-2594}, doi = {10.1002/mrm.27731}, year = {2019}, language = {en} } @article{RietschPfaffenrotBitzetal.2017, author = {Rietsch, Stefan H. G. and Pfaffenrot, Viktor and Bitz, Andreas and Orzada, Stephan and Brunheim, Sascha and Lazik-Palm, Andrea and Theysohn, Jens M. and Ladd, Mark E. and Quick, Harald H. and Kraff, Oliver}, title = {An 8-channel transceiver 7-channel receive RF coil setup for high SNR ultrahigh-field MRI of the shoulder at 7T}, series = {Medical Physics}, journal = {Medical Physics}, number = {Article in press}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0094-2405}, doi = {10.1002/mp.12612}, year = {2017}, language = {en} } @article{OrzadaBitzJohstetal.2017, author = {Orzada, Stephan and Bitz, Andreas and Johst, S{\"o}ren and Gratz, Marcel and V{\"o}lker, Maximilian N. and Kraff, Oliver and Abuelhaija, Ashraf and Fiedler, Thomas M. and Solbach, Klaus and Quick, Harald H. and Ladd, Mark E.}, title = {Analysis of an integrated 8-Channel Tx/Rx body array for use as a body coil in 7-Tesla MRI}, series = {Frontiers in Physics}, volume = {5}, journal = {Frontiers in Physics}, number = {Jun}, issn = {2296-424X}, doi = {10.3389/fphy.2017.00017}, year = {2017}, language = {en} } @article{KraffBitzKruszonaetal.2009, author = {Kraff, Oliver and Bitz, Andreas and Kruszona, Stefan and Orzada, Stephan and Schaefer, Lena C. and Theysohn, Jens M. and Maderwald, Stefan and Ladd, Mark E. and Quick, Harald H.}, title = {An eight-channel phased array RF coil for spine MR imaging at 7 T}, series = {Investigative Radiology}, volume = {44}, journal = {Investigative Radiology}, number = {11}, publisher = {Lippincott Williams \& Wilkins}, issn = {1536-0210}, doi = {10.1097/RLI.0b013e3181b24ab7}, pages = {734 -- 740}, year = {2009}, language = {en} } @article{SchlamannYoonMaderwaldetal.2010, author = {Schlamann, Marc and Yoon, Min-Suk and Maderwald, Stefan and Pietrzyk, Thomas and Bitz, Andreas and Gerwig, Marcus and Forsting, Michael and Ladd, Susanne C. and Ladd, Mark E. and Kastrup, Oliver}, title = {Short term effects of magnetic resonance imaging on excitability of the motor cortex at 1.5T and 7T}, series = {Academic Radiology}, volume = {17}, journal = {Academic Radiology}, number = {3}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {1076-6332}, doi = {10.1016/j.acra.2009.10.004}, pages = {277 -- 281}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Rationale and Objectives The increasing spread of high-field and ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners has encouraged new discussion of the safety aspects of MRI. Few studies have been published on possible cognitive effects of MRI examinations. The aim of this study was to examine whether changes are measurable after MRI examinations at 1.5 and 7 T by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Materials and Methods TMS was performed in 12 healthy, right-handed male volunteers. First the individual motor threshold was specified, and then the cortical silent period (SP) was measured. Subsequently, the volunteers were exposed to the 1.5-T MRI scanner for 63 minutes using standard sequences. The MRI examination was immediately followed by another TMS session. Fifteen minutes later, TMS was repeated. Four weeks later, the complete setting was repeated using a 7-T scanner. Control conditions included lying in the 1.5-T scanner for 63 minutes without scanning and lying in a separate room for 63 minutes. TMS was performed in the same way in each case. For statistical analysis, Wilcoxon's rank test was performed. Results Immediately after MRI exposure, the SP was highly significantly prolonged in all 12 subjects at 1.5 and 7 T. The motor threshold was significantly increased. Fifteen minutes after the examination, the measured value tended toward normal again. Control conditions revealed no significant differences. Conclusion MRI examinations lead to a transient and highly significant alteration in cortical excitability. This effect does not seem to depend on the strength of the static magnetic field.}, language = {en} }