Open access birdcage coils for microscopic imaging of plants at 11.7T

The use of a U-shaped high-pass birdcage coil for microscopic imaging at 11.7 T has been investigated. The study was motivated by the requirement for a side access coil, permitting higher filling factors for the in-vivo imaging of plant petioles and stems. The performance of a U-shaped coil (with a cross section consisting of a 16 mm diameter semi-circle plus two 12 mm length straight sections) has been experimentally assessed, and compared both in terms of homogeneity and sensitivity to a 16 mm diameter conventional (linear) birdcage and a saddle coil of the same diameter. The U-shaped coil, which offers 12 mm width side access, has a significantly better performance than the saddle coil, whilst providing 57% of the B₁ sensitivity of the bird-cage.     

Dual resonant birdcage coils for1H detected13C microscopic imaging at 11.7 T

Liquid state, rotating frame cross polarisation experiments are very sensitive to RF field inhomogeneity. In this work, we present an easily fabricated, co-resident high- and low-pass linear birdcage resonator, optimised to perform liquid state rotating frame polarisation transfer at¹H and¹³C frequencies. Both the RF fields have been experimentally mapped, and used to validate the spatial signal dependence of a proton detected,¹³C image. The predicted performance was then confirmed using PRAWN-based, cyclic J-cross polarisation (CYCLCROP) imaging. A novel variant of a B₁-field mapping approach is also presented, using the signal enhancement of the CYCLCROP sequence to generate proton detected,¹³C field maps.     

A degeneracy study in the circulant and bordered-circulant approach to birdcage and planar coils

A method for finding closed-form solutions for the normal mode frequencies of systems with circulant symmetry was investigated. This method is particularly useful for questions of degeneracy that arise when one considers parallel imaging techniques like SENSE and SMASH in MRI. It is applicable to systems that include birdcage coils as well as planar coils with the appropriate rotational symmetry. A proof is given that complete degeneracy of all normal mode frequencies is impossible when all mutual inductive couplings are included. We tested the method against measurements made on a planar coil array and on an 8-element birdcage coil. The inclusion of the co-rotating end-ring mode changes the fundamental symmetry of the system from circulant to 'bordered circulant.' Closed-form solutions for the normal mode frequencies of a bordered circulant system are also given.     

Versatile coil design and positioning of transverse-field RF surface coils for clinical 1.5-T MRI applications

Clinical MRI/MRS applications require radio frequency (RF) surface coils positioned at an arbitrary angle with respect to B₀. In these experimental conditions the standard circular loop (CL) coil, producing an axial RF field, shows a large signal loss in the central region of interest (ROI). We demonstrate that transverse-field figure-of-eight (FO8) RF surface coils design are not subject to the same amount of signal loss in the central ROI as loop coils when their orientations are changed. The 1.5-T CL and FO8 prototypes (diameter = 10 cm) were built on Plexiglas using copper strips (width = 4 mm, thickness = 100 m). The two linear elements of the FO8 coil were 1 cm apart. Axial spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) images of a phantom containing doped water were acquired with the coil plane at =0°, 45°, and 90°. As increases, the CL images show, in the central ROI, a signal that decreases from a maximum value to zero. Whereas the FO8 images show, in the same ROI, a signal that varies little from the maximum value (20%). Optimized FO8 coils can be oriented with the coil plane positioned along any direction with respect to B₀ without significant signal loss. Transverse RF coil design should be useful for clinical MRS studies and also for parallel imaging techniques where versatile RF coils disposed along arbitrary directions are required.     

A simple method for mapping the B1 field distribution of linear RF coils

Inhomogeneity of the radio frequency (RF) field B₁ leads to intensity variations in MR images and to spatial dependence of spectral line amplitudes. In this paper, a simple method of measuring the B₁ field components of an unsegmented linear coil is described. The method is designed for the coils operating up to 20 MHz. The B₁ field distribution is replaced by the static magnetic field caused by DC current flowing through the coil. The technique involves rotating the coil 90° so that measured B₁ component is aligned with B₀ and measuring the shift of resonance frequency using a spectroscopic imaging sequence. Experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical computations.     

A method for the design of MRI radiofrequency coils based on triangular and pulse basis functions

This paper presents a numerical technique for the design of an RF coil for asymmetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. The formulation is based on an inverse approach where the cylindrical surface currents are expressed in terms of a combination of sub-domain basis functions: triangular and pulse functions. With the homogeneous transverse magnetic field specified in a spherical region, a functional method is applied to obtain the unknown current coefficients. The current distribution is then transformed to a conductor pattern by use of a stream function technique. Preliminary MR images acquired using a prototype RF coil are presented and validate the design method.     

正方形亥姆霍兹线圈三维磁场及其均匀性分析

为研究光纤陀螺的磁敏感性,利用三个正方形亥姆霍兹线圈构建三维匀强磁场,并分析其匀强磁场区域特性。将正方形亥姆霍兹线圈视为四段载流导线,采取分段计算然后进行矢量叠加的方法,分析了正方形亥姆霍兹线圈三维空间磁场强度及其均匀性,并给出仿真结果。最后给出了正方形亥姆霍兹线圈三维匀强磁场的结构模型及相关数据分析。     

单层方体四线圈均匀磁场源理论计算与仿真

一个可以产生已知强度的均匀磁场区的标准磁场源是测试、标定各类磁测仪器的基本条件。以正方体四线圈作为均匀磁场标准场源,理论推导了其磁场分布。通过Maxwell软件对正方体四线圈的磁场进行仿真分析,仿真结果与理论计算一致。分析了四线圈装置轴向和垂直轴向的磁场均匀性,结果表明方体四线圈装置可以在装置中心周围相当大的范围内产生高均匀度的磁场。对于边长为1m的四线圈装置,在装置中心长宽0.2m、高0.4m的长方体内,磁场偏差率控制在0.25%以内。结果论证了其作为均匀磁场源的可行性,与亥姆霍兹线圈相比,无论在均匀度方面还是在均匀场区大小方面都有很大优势。     

Determination of appropriate RF blocking impedance for MRI surface coils and arrays

Surface and phased array receiving coils in MRI typically require that RF excitation be accomplished using the body coil. This process requires that the receiving coils contain blocking circuitry to increase the overall circuit impedance during RF excitation and withstand the electromotive force induced by the applied electromagnetic field. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal impedance range required during RF excitation based on an assessment of image quality. The experimental results are fit by an exponential model and establish criteria that can be applied for general receiver coil design.     

Recent advances in image reconstruction, coil sensitivity calibration, and coil array design for SMASH and generalized parallel MRI

Parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques use spatial information from arrays of radiofrequency (RF) detector coils to accelerate imaging. A number of parallel MRI techniques have been described in recent years, and numerous clinical applications are currently being explored. The advent of practical parallel imaging presents various challenges for image reconstruction and RF system design. Recent advances in tailored SiMultaneous Acquisition of Spatial Harmonics (SMASH) image reconstructions are summarized. These advances enable robust SMASH imaging in arbitrary image planes with a wide range of coil array geometries. A generalized formalism is described which may be used to understand the relations between SMASH and SENSE, to derive typical implementations of each as special cases, and to form hybrid techniques combining some of the advantages of both. Accurate knowledge of coil sensitivities is crucial for parallel MRI, and errors in calibration represent one of the most common and the most pernicious sources of error in parallel image reconstructions. As one example, motion of the patient and or the coil array between the sensitivity reference scan and the accelerated acquisition can lead to calibration errors and reconstruction artifacts. Self-calibrating parallel MRI approaches that address this problem by eliminating the need for external sensitivity references are reviewed. The ultimate achievable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for parallel MRI studies is closely tied to the geometry and sensitivity patterns of the coil arrays used for spatial encoding. Several parallel imaging array designs that depart from the traditional model of overlapped adjacent loop elements are described. Summary of material presented at the 2001 ISMRM workshop on MRI hardware, Cleveland, OH, USA.     

开放式磁共振系统中梯度磁场的快速计算方法

梯度线圈是磁共振系统的核心部件之一,其产生的梯度磁场是成像空间定位的物理基础。在开放式磁共振系统中,大量铁磁介质会导致实际梯度磁场偏离设计值,因此需要对实际梯度磁场进行校验。本文针对开放式磁共振的结构特点,提出了一种基于扇环形状单元的积分方程法,可以计算二维/三维模型中的梯度磁场。针对两种常见的开放式磁共振结构,通过将本文方法的计算结果与其他三种方法(直接法、镜像法和有限元法)进行对比,证明了本文方法在保证计算精度的同时,可以大幅减少计算时间,在重复计算和迭代优化中具有显著优势。实验结果证明了该算法具有良好的可靠性。     

模拟太阳光源的设计与应用仿真研究

针对模拟太阳光源满足太阳能电池板综合测试仪的应用需求,通过对模拟太阳光源的光学系统分析,发光光源的选择和建模,光学积分器对于模拟太阳光源辐照均匀性的影响的全面分析,力主设计满足太阳能电池板综合测试的模拟太阳光源。运用光学分析软件LightTools对模拟太阳光源的设计进行了仿真校验,得到了聚光镜第二焦面和辐照面的辐照度的二维和三维图形。通过理论分析,计算得出了所设计的模拟太阳光源的辐照不均匀度为2.77%,不稳定度为1.64%,结果满足应用需求。     

基于DDS的信号模拟器设计

通过对DDS的信号模拟器设计的研究,不仅设计出能够实现普通射频合成信号源的功能,正如能够在幅度、频率等方面对所需生成的信号加以控制,也能够实现定频、扫频以及跳频等输出方式上的选择。同时,该系统增加了叠加噪声和灵敏度设置,以便能够更好地实现对各种条件下雷达回波信号的模拟。     

A degeneracy study in the circulant and bordered-circulant approach to birdcage and planar coils

A method for finding closed-form solutions for the normal mode frequencies of systems with circulant 2pi/2 symmetry was investigated. This method is particularly good for questions of degeneracy that arise when one considers parallel imaging techniques like SENSE and SMASH in MRI. It is applicable to systems that include birdcage coils as well as planar coils with the appropriate rotational symmetry. A proof is given that complete degeneracy of all normal mode frequencies is impossible when all mutual inductive couplings are included. We tested the method against measurements made on a planar coil array and on an 8-element birdcage coil. The inclusion of the co-rotating end-ring mode changes the fundamental symmetry of the system from circulant to "bordered circulant". Closed-form solutions for the normal mode frequencies of a bordered circulant system are also given.     

逆方法设计用于3T磁共振成像的乳腺射频线圈

射频(RF)线圈是磁共振成像(MRI)系统的关键部件之一,用于射频信号的发射或接收,乳腺3 T MRI中采用专用的射频线圈可进一步提高磁共振成像的质量。为了获得简单的线圈绕线形状并使得射频磁场分布均匀,研究利用了L曲线自动选取和手动选取惩罚因子对线圈绕线形状和磁场分布均匀性的影响,并结合目标场方法和流函数方法,提出了一种用于3 T(磁感应强度为3 T)乳腺磁共振成像的射频线圈设计方法。研究结果表明:1×1、2×1、2×2、4×1等4种半球形相控阵射频线圈的绕线形状随着阵列增加而变复杂;惩罚因子取利用L曲线自动选取的值时,磁感应强度线性方程的解最精确,阵列1×1在[10-25,10-18]区间内无论怎样选取惩罚因子,灵敏区内的磁场分布误差(即实际值与理想值之间的误差)都40%,阵列2×2和4×1的磁场分布误差10%,但是线圈绕线形状非常复杂,工程上难以实现;手动选取惩罚因子的值,可以使得磁场分布误差40%,而且线圈的绕线形状简单;与相同半径和高度的圆柱型射频线圈相比,所提出的半球型射频线圈磁场分布更为均匀。可得结论:惩罚因子越小,则线圈绕线越复杂,而磁场分布越均匀;反之,惩罚因子越大,则线圈绕线越简单,而磁场分布越不理想。在简单的线圈绕线形状和保证射频磁场分布均匀之间取得平衡需要根据L曲线手动调节选取惩罚因子的值。     

利用亥姆霍兹线圈测量地磁场强度及磁倾角

根据亥姆霍兹线圈轴线上磁场分布的特点,能在其轴线中点附近产生较广的均匀磁场区,根据磁场的叠加原理,推导了地磁场的水平分量、垂直分量及地磁场强度、磁倾角的实验计算公式.采用了FD-HM-Ⅰ型亥姆霍兹线圈,利用高灵敏度毫特斯拉计,探测亥姆霍兹线圈公共轴线中点的磁感应强度.通过改变亥姆霍兹线圈中电流的正、反方向,测量了延安地区当地的地磁场强度及磁倾角.测量结果与延安地区当地的地磁场要素基本相符,说明该方法是确实可行的.该实验方案充分利用了实验室现有仪器,培养了学生的创新意识,因此在实验课教学中具有较高的推广价值.     

A game theory simulator for assessing the performances of competitive electricity markets

In the last years, electricity markets were created all over the world following different basis concepts. Market structure, market rules, demand levels, market concentration and energy sources to produce electricity have a strong influence on market performances. Modifications on these aspects may significantly affect market outcomes. Sensitivity analyses need proper simulation tools. In this paper a medium run electricity market simulator (MREMS) based on game theory is presented. This simulator incorporates two different games, one for the unit commitment of thermal units and one for strategic bidding and hourly market clearing. Either a Forchheimer (one leader) or Bertrand (all player are leaders) or even intermediate model with a whatever number of leaders can be selected, in dependence on the strategic behavior of the producers, allowing for the simulation of markets with different levels of concentration. The simulator was applied to analyse producers’ behavior during the first operative year of the Italian power exchange. A comparison between simulation and true market results was carried out in order to test the simulator and validate its simplifying hypotheses. MREMS, yet capable to be used stand-alone, was conceived as the heart of a long-term market simulator (LREMS) allowing to simulate the long-run evolution of the generation park (investments in new plants, refurbishment and dismission of older ones). LREMS is a hierarchic simulator: a long-term “outer” game takes yearly investment decisions based on mid-term price projections provided by MREMS. Although this paper is mainly devoted to describe MREMS, one specific section will provide an overview of the “outer” game implemented by LREMS.     

Moment method analysis of mutual interaction in MRI phased array coils

We describe the use of a computational method for determining the overlap distance minimizing the mutual interaction between two adjacent coils that constitute a part of a phased array system used in MRI. The method is based upon the method of moments, and the analysis is carried out at a target imaging frequency to obtain the overlap distance. For a variety of complex RF phased array coils, we can determine, using the proposed approach, the overlap distance between nearest neighbor block element RF coils such that the mutual interaction is nullified or minimized. We give experimental results to validate the proposed approach. When compared with the experimental data, our theoretical prediction is in excellent agreement.     

多项式拟合的光伏电池阵列模拟器研究与设计

分析了光伏电池的数学模型,提出了一种简化的工程应用模型,该模型仅需要光伏电池的5个出厂参数就可以在工程精度下完整地复现光伏电池的外部特性,采用多项式拟合方法,成功地使用4段折线对光伏电池的I-U特性曲线进行了拟合。基于多项式拟合的光伏电池阵列特性曲线设计了一种数字式光伏阵列模拟器,该模拟器以Boost变换器作为主电路,采用电流闭环PI控制。仿真与实验证明,采用多项式对光伏电池特性曲线进行分段拟合具有较高的精确度,模型误差在6 %以下,可以满足光伏系统设计及仿真的精度要求,可以取代实际光伏阵列进行相关实验研究。     

亥姆霍兹线圈及麦克斯韦线圈磁场分布及均匀性比较

基于毕奥-萨伐尔定律,运用椭圆积分,推导出圆环电流在空间任意一点产生的磁场公式,进而分析了亥姆霍兹线圈和麦克斯韦线圈在中心处磁场各分量的分布模型,绘出了空间分布。分析结果表明,麦克斯韦线圈磁场不均匀度小于0.0001的区域半径约是亥姆霍兹线圈的20倍。