TY  - JOUR
A1  - Orzada, Stephan
A1  - Fiedler, Thomas M.
A1  - Bitz, Andreas
A1  - Ladd, Mark E.
A1  - Quick, Harald H.
T1  - Local SAR compression with overestimation control to reduce maximum relative SAR overestimation and improve multi-channel RF array performance
JF  - Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine
N2  - 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.
Y1  - 2020
SN  - 1352-8661
U6  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10334-020-00890-0
IS  - 34 (2021)
SP  - 153
EP  - 164
PB  - Springer
CY  - Heidelberg
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Fiedler, Thomas M.
A1  - Ladd, Mark E.
A1  - Clemens, Markus
A1  - Bitz, Andreas
T1  - Safety of subjects during radiofrequency exposure in ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging
JF  - IEEE Letters on Electromagnetic Compatibility Practice and Applications
N2  - 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.
Y1  - 2020
SN  - 2637-6423
U6  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/LEMCPA.2020.3029747
VL  - 2
IS  - 3
SP  - 1
EP  - 8
PB  - IEEE
CY  - New York, NY
ER  -