Design and Dynamic In Vivo Validation of a Multi-Channel Stretchable Liquid Metal Coil Array.

Publication Type	Academic Article
Authors	Motovilova E, Ching T, Vincent J, Tan E, Taracila V, Robb F, Hashimoto M, Sneag D, Winkler S
Journal	Materials (Basel)
Volume	17
Issue	13
Date Published	07/05/2024
ISSN	1996-1944
Abstract	Recent developments in the field of radiofrequency (RF) coils for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer flexible and patient-friendly solutions. Previously, we demonstrated a proof-of-concept single-element stretchable coil design based on liquid metal and a self-tuning smart geometry. In this work, we numerically analyze and experimentally study a multi-channel stretchable coil array and demonstrate its application in dynamic knee imaging. We also compare our flexible coil array to a commonly used commercial rigid coil array. Our numerical analysis shows that the proposed coil array maintains its resonance frequency (<1% variation) and sensitivity (<6%) at various stretching configurations from 0% to 30%. We experimentally demonstrate that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the acquired MRI images is improved by up to four times with the stretchable coil array due to its conformal and therefore tight-fitting nature. This stretchable array allows for dynamic knee imaging at different flexion angles, infeasible with traditional, rigid coil arrays. These findings are significant as they address the limitations of current rigid coil technology, offering a solution that enhances patient comfort and image quality, particularly in applications requiring dynamic imaging.
DOI	10.3390/ma17133325
PubMed ID	38998405
PubMed Central ID	PMC11243347