# TRD4: RF Coil Development for Capturing Ultimate Intrinsic SNR in UHF MRI

> **NIH NIH P41** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2024 · $268,302

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The overall objective of TRD4 is to develop innovative engineering solutions required to support the other TRDs
and various collaborative and service projects in this P41 NCBIB. One of the most important issues that needs
to be addressed, particularly while developing new ultra-high field MR technologies, is to ensure the overall MR
related safety of the technology. We propose a new method for evaluating the RF safety of custom-built coils
using an automated EM field measurement system. The proposed approach will allow safety evaluation with low
power settings in a comprehensive manner.
Supra-linear gains are expected with increasing field strength, however achieving these SNR gains in real life is
a challenging engineering problem. Design and implementation of new RF coil technologies are essential for this
goal. We will focus on developing novel RF coil designs that combine different coil geometries (e.g. loops and
non-uniform dielectric substrate dipoles or sleeve antennas). We will also utilize novel RF electronics concepts
including miniaturized integrated circuit low noise amplifiers and coil clusters to improve coil performance. To
enhance SNR we will explore new receiver concepts and will investigate the possibility of harvesting the sheath
currents flowing on receive coaxial cable circuity to further improve SNR. Combining these approaches, we will
aim to capture the physically achievable limits of SNR in UHF MRI. We will translate the extensive prior
experience we have developing human brain and body as well as awake and anesthetize NHP array technology
at 10.5T along with the more recent insights to optimally capture central and peripheral SNR towards the design
of optimized multi-channel transceiver/receiver arrays for 16.4T/700 MHz studies of marmosets. Particularly
promising and impactful here is the integration of field orientation insensitive miniature IC preamplifiers of sub-
cm scale which allow for on-coil amplification without line-of-sight restrictions. Finally, we plan to expand this
extensive UHF technology expertise and the associated cumulative gains towards multinuclear coil technology
with the aim of simultaneous optimization of Efficiency and SNR for dual nuclei.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10769042
- **Project number:** 2P41EB027061-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** GREGOR ADRIANY
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $268,302
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-02-01 → 2029-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10769042

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10769042, TRD4: RF Coil Development for Capturing Ultimate Intrinsic SNR in UHF MRI (2P41EB027061-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10769042. Licensed CC0.

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