Stretchable self-tuning MRI receive coils based on liquid metal technology (LiquiTune).

Publication Type	Academic Article
Authors	Motovilova E, Tan E, Taracila V, Vincent J, Grafendorfer T, Shin J, Potter H, Robb F, Sneag D, Winkler S
Journal	Sci Rep
Volume	11
Issue	1
Pagination	16228
Date Published	08/10/2021
ISSN	2045-2322
Keywords	Knee, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Phantoms, Imaging, Signal-To-Noise Ratio
Abstract	Magnetic resonance imaging systems rely on signal detection via radiofrequency coil arrays which, ideally, need to provide both bendability and form-fitting stretchability to conform to the imaging volume. However, most commercial coils are rigid and of fixed size with a substantial mean offset distance of the coil from the anatomy, which compromises the spatial resolution and diagnostic image quality as well as patient comfort. Here, we propose a soft and stretchable receive coil concept based on liquid metal and ultra-stretchable polymer that conforms closely to a desired anatomy. Moreover, its smart geometry provides a self-tuning mechanism to maintain a stable resonance frequency over a wide range of elongation levels. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations were experimentally confirmed and demonstrated that the proposed coil withstood the unwanted frequency detuning typically observed with other stretchable coils (0.4% for the proposed coil as compared to 4% for a comparable control coil). Moreover, the signal-to-noise ratio of the proposed coil increased by more than 60% as compared to a typical, rigid, commercial coil.
DOI	10.1038/s41598-021-95335-6
PubMed ID	34376703
PubMed Central ID	PMC8355233