TY - JOUR A1 - Ndoumbè Mbonjo Mbonjo, H. A1 - Streckert, J. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Hansen, V. A1 - Glasmachers, A. A1 - Gencol, S. A1 - Rozic, D. T1 - Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studies JF - Bioelectromagnetics Y1 - 2004 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bem.20007 SN - 1521-186X VL - 25 IS - 6 SP - 415 EP - 425 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Maas, Marnix C. A1 - Vos, Eline K. A1 - Lagemaat, Miriam W. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Kobus, Thiele A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Maderwald, Stefan A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Scheenen, Tom W. J. T1 - Feasibility of T₂-weighted turbo spin echo imaging of the human prostate at 7 tesla JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine N2 - Purpose To demonstrate that high quality T₂-weighted (T2w) turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging of the complete prostate can be achieved routinely and within safety limits at 7 T, using an external transceive body array coil only. Methods Nine healthy volunteers and 12 prostate cancer patients were scanned on a 7 T whole-body system. Preparation consisted of B₀ and radiofrequency shimming and localized flip angle calibration. T₁ and T₂ relaxation times were measured and used to define the T2w-TSE protocol. T2w imaging was performed using a TSE sequence (pulse repetition time/echo time 3000–3640/71 ms) with prolonged excitation and refocusing pulses to reduce specific absorption rate. Results High quality T2w TSE imaging was performed in less than 2 min in all subjects. Tumors of patients with gold-standard tumor localization (MR-guided biopsy or prostatectomy) were well visualized on 7 T imaging (n = 3). The number of consecutive slices achievable within a 10-g averaged specific absorption rate limit of 10 W/kg was ≥28 in all subjects, sufficient for full prostate coverage with 3-mm slices in at least one direction. Conclusion High quality T2w TSE prostate imaging can be performed routinely and within specific absorption rate limits at 7 T with an external transceive body array. Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrm.24818 SN - 1522-2594 VL - 71 IS - 5 SP - 1711 EP - 1719 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lerchl, Alexander A1 - Krüger, Heike A1 - Niehaus, Michael A1 - Streckert, Joachim R. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Hansen, Volkert T1 - Effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields at nonthermal SAR values on melatonin and body weight of Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) JF - Journal of Pineal Research Y1 - 2008 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-079X.2007.00522.x SN - 1600-079X VL - 44 IS - 3 SP - 267 EP - 272 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lagemaat, Miriam W. A1 - Vos, Eline K. A1 - Maas, Marnix C. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Uden, Mark J. van A1 - Kobus, Thiele A1 - Heerschap, Arend A1 - Scheenen, Tom W. J. T1 - Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging at 7 T in patients with prostate cancer JF - Investigative Radiology N2 - Objectives The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of phosphorus (³¹P) spectra of the human prostate and to investigate changes of individual phospholipid metabolites in prostate cancer through in vivo ³¹P magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 7 T. Materials and Methods In this institutional review board–approved study, 15 patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer underwent T₂-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and 3-dimensional ³¹P MRSI at 7 T. Voxels were selected at the tumor location, in normal-appearing peripheral zone tissue, normal-appearing transition zone tissue, and in the base of the prostate close to the seminal vesicles. Phosphorus metabolite ratios were determined and compared between tissue types. Results Signals of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and phosphocholine (PC) were present and well resolved in most ³¹P spectra in the prostate. Glycerophosphocholine signals were observable in 43% of the voxels in malignant tissue, but in only 10% of the voxels in normal-appearing tissue away from the seminal vesicles. In many spectra, independent of tissue type, 2 peaks resonated in the chemical shift range of inorganic phosphate, possibly representing 2 separate pH compartments. The PC/PE ratio in the seminal vesicles was highly elevated compared with the prostate in 5 patients. A considerable overlap of ³¹P metabolite ratios was found between prostate cancer and normal-appearing prostate tissue, preventing direct discrimination of these tissues. The only 2 patients with high Gleason scores tumors (≥4+5) presented with high PC and glycerophosphocholine levels in their cancer lesions. Conclusions Phosphorus MRSI at 7 T shows distinct features of phospholipid metabolites in the prostate gland and its surrounding structures. In this exploratory study, no differences in ³¹P metabolite ratios were observed between prostate cancer and normal-appearing prostate tissue possibly because of the partial volume effects of small tumor foci in large MRSI voxels. Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0000000000000012 SN - 1536-0210 VL - 49 IS - 5 SP - 363 EP - 372 PB - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins CY - Philadelphia, Pa. ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lagemaat, Miriam W. A1 - Maas, Marnix C. A1 - Vos, Eline K. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Weiland, Elisabeth A1 - Uden, Mark J. van A1 - Kobus, Thiele A1 - Heerschap, Arend A1 - Scheenen, Tom W. J. T1 - (31) P MR spectroscopic imaging of the human prostate at 7 T: T1 relaxation times, Nuclear Overhauser Effect, and spectral characterization JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrm.25209 SN - 1522-2594 VL - 73 IS - 3 SP - 909 EP - 920 PB - Wiley CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lagemaat, Miriam W. A1 - Breukels, Vincent A1 - Vos, Eline K. A1 - B., Adam A1 - Uden, Mark J. van A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Maas, Marnix C. A1 - Scheenen, Tom W. J. T1 - ¹H MR spectroscopic imaging of the prostate at 7T using spectral-spatial pulses JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine N2 - Purpose To assess the feasibility of prostate ¹H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) using low-power spectral-spatial (SPSP) pulses at 7T, exploiting accurate spectral selection and spatial selectivity simultaneously. Methods A double spin-echo sequence was equipped with SPSP refocusing pulses with a spectral selectivity of 1 ppm. Three-dimensional prostate ¹H-MRSI at 7T was performed with the SPSP-MRSI sequence using an 8-channel transmit array coil and an endorectal receive coil in three patients with prostate cancer and in one healthy subject. No additional water or lipid suppression pulses were used. Results Prostate ¹H-MRSI could be obtained well within specific absorption rate (SAR) limits in a clinically feasible time (10 min). Next to the common citrate signals, the prostate spectra exhibited high spermine signals concealing creatine and sometimes also choline. Residual lipid signals were observed at the edges of the prostate because of limitations in spectral and spatial selectivity. Conclusion It is possible to perform prostate ¹H-MRSI at 7T with a SPSP-MRSI sequence while using separate transmit and receive coils. This low-SAR MRSI concept provides the opportunity to increase spatial resolution of MRSI within reasonable scan times. Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrm.25569 SN - 1522-2594 VL - 75 IS - 3 SP - 933 EP - 945 PB - International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Wrede, Karsten H. A1 - Schoemberg, Tobias A1 - Dammann, Philipp A1 - Noureddine, Yacine A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Bitz, Andreas T1 - MR safety assessment of potential RF heating from cranial fixation plates at 7 T JF - Medical Physics Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.4795347 SN - 2473-4209 VL - 40 IS - 4 SP - 042302-1 EP - 042302-10 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Kruszona, Stefan A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Schaefer, Lena C. A1 - Theysohn, Jens M. A1 - Maderwald, Stefan A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Quick, Harald H. T1 - An eight-channel phased array RF coil for spine MR imaging at 7 T JF - Investigative Radiology Y1 - 2009 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0b013e3181b24ab7 SN - 1536-0210 VL - 44 IS - 11 SP - 734 EP - 740 PB - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Dammann, Philipp A1 - Ladd, Susanne C. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Quick, Harald H. T1 - An eight-channel transmit/receive multipurpose coil for musculoskeletal MR imaging at 7 T JF - Medical Physics N2 - Purpose: MRI plays a leading diagnostic role in assessing the musculoskeletal (MSK) system and is well established for most questions at clinically used field strengths (up to 3 T). However, there are still limitations in imaging early stages of cartilage degeneration, very fine tendons and ligaments, or in locating nerve lesions, for example. 7 T MRI of the knee has already received increasing attention in the current published literature, but there is a strong need to develop new radiofrequency (RF) coils to assess more regions of the MSK system. In this work, an eight-channel transmit/receive RF array was built as a multipurpose coil for imaging some of the thus far neglected regions. An extensive coil characterization protocol and first in vivo results of the human wrist, shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle imaged at 7 T will be presented. Methods: Eight surface loop coils with a dimension ofurn:x-wiley:00942405:media:mp7176:mp7176-math-0001 were machined from FR4 circuit board material. To facilitate easy positioning, two coil clusters, each with four loop elements, were combined to one RF transmit/receive array. An overlapped and shifted arrangement of the coil elements was chosen to reduce the mutual inductance between neighboring coils. A phantom made of body-simulating liquid was used for tuning and matching on the bench. Afterward, the S-parameters were verified on a human wrist, elbow, and shoulder. For safety validation, a detailed compliance test was performed including full wave simulations of the RF field distribution and the corresponding specific absorption rate (SAR) for all joints. In vivo images of four volunteers were assessed with gradient echo and spin echo sequences modified to obtain optimal image contrast, full anatomic coverage, and the highest spatial resolution within a reasonable acquisition time. The performance of the RF coil was additionally evaluated by in vivo B1 mapping. Results: A comparison of B1 per unit power, flip angle distribution, and anatomic images showed a fairly homogeneous excitation for the smaller joints (elbow, wrist, and ankle), while for the larger joints, the shoulder and especially the knee, B1 inhomogeneities and limited penetration depth were more pronounced. However, the greater part of the shoulder joint could be imaged.In vivo images rendered very fine anatomic details such as fascicles of the median nerve and the branching of the nerve bundles. High-resolution images of cartilage, labrum, and tendons could be acquired. Additionally, turbo spin echo (TSE) and inversion recovery sequences performed very well. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the concept of two four-channel transmit/receive RF arrays can be used as a multipurpose coil for high-resolutionin vivo MR imaging of the musculoskeletal system at 7 T. Not only gradient echo but also typical clinical and SAR-intensive sequences such as STIR and TSE performed well. Imaging of small structures and peripheral nerves could in particular benefit from this technique. Y1 - 2010 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.3517176 SN - 2473-4209 VL - 37 IS - 12 SP - 6368 EP - 6376 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NJ ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Breyer, Tobias A1 - Kruszona, Stefan A1 - Maderwald, Stefan A1 - Brote, Irina A1 - Gizewski, Elke R. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Quick, Harald H. T1 - A transmit/receive radiofrequency array for imaging the carotid arteries at 7 Tesla: coil design and first in vivo results JF - Investigative Radiology N2 - Objective: To develop a transmit/receive radiofrequency (RF) array for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the carotid arteries at 7 T. The prototype is characterized in numerical simulations and bench measurements, and the feasibility of plaque imaging at 7 T is demonstrated in first in vivo images. Materials and Methods: The RF phased array coil consists of 8 surface loop coils. To allow imaging of both sides of the neck, the RF array is divided into 2 coil clusters, each with 4 overlapping loop elements. For safety validation, numerical computations of the RF field distribution and the corresponding specific absorption rate were performed on the basis of a heterogeneous human body model. To validate the coil model, maps of the transmit B1+ field were compared between simulation and measurement. In vivo images of a healthy volunteer and a patient (ulcerating plaque and a 50% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery) were acquired using a 3-dimensional FLASH sequence with a high isotropic spatial resolution of 0.54 mm as well as using pulse-triggered proton density (PD)/T2-weighted turbo spin echo sequences. Results: Measurements of the S-parameters yielded a reflection and isolation of the coil elements of better than −18 and −13 dB, respectively. Measurements of the g-factor indicated good image quality for parallel imaging acceleration factors up to 2.4. A similar distribution and a very good match of the absolute values were found between the measured and simulated B1+ transmit RF field for the validation of the coil model. In vivo images revealed good signal excitation of both sides of the neck and a high vessel-to-background image contrast for the noncontrast-enhanced 3-dimensional FLASH sequence. Imaging at 7 T could depict the extent of stenosis, and revealed the disruption and ulcer of the plaque. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that 2 four-channel transmit/receive RF arrays for each side of the neck is a suitable concept for in vivo MRI of the carotid arteries at 7 Tesla. Further studies are needed to explore and exploit the full potential of 7 T high-field MRI for carotid atherosclerotic plaque imaging. Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0b013e318206cee4 SN - 1536-0210 VL - 46 IS - 4 SP - 246 EP - 254 PB - Wolters Kluwer CY - Köln ER -