Design of rectangular coaxial slot antenna for ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Rectangular coaxial slot arrays (RCSAs) are antennas designed to ensure superior field penetration depth with a high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in the deeper imaging region of ultra-high magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The RCSA consists of a transmission line of lambda/4 length surrounded by a dielectric material, and a ground plate that resembles a rectangular coaxial line. We extended this antenna to eight elements. The simulation indicates that a single RCSA has a B1+-field distribution similar to that of the generally used dipole antenna for traveling RF waves. However, the B1+-component of the RCSA in an array configuration was stronger in the deep brain region of the human brain model and its specific absorption rate was lower compared to the dipole and monopole antenna arrays. The proposed RSCA array can be adapted to acquire MR signals with high sensitivity in a deeper imaging region in an ultra-high field MRI scanner.