There have been several recent advancements in radiofrequency (RF) coil development for MRI to improve both image quality and patient comfort. At 7T, performance improvements are achieved through the utilization of multiple transmit channels, known as parallel transmit (pTx). This technique facilitates improving the RF field (B1) homogeneity through amplitude and phase adjustments to each channel, known as B1 shimming. Furthermore, each channel may transmit a unique waveform, i.e., dynamic pTx, with the combination of channels generating the desired target B1 field pattern. On the receive side, one area of coil improvement is the trend towards lightweight, flexible, and even wearable coils. By allowing for conformation around a variety of anatomies, stretchable coils can provide a more comfortable patient experience while enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio given the proximity to the body. In this talk, I will provide an overview of my lab’s efforts to develop and validate electromagnetic modeling workflows that accurately reflect the design and performance of 7T parallel transmit array coils, thus ensuring patient safety. I will also discuss our group’s efforts to create wearable and stretchable receive arrays to enhance imaging performance while improving patient comfort.

Joseph V. Rispoli is an Assistant Professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Purdue University.  He received his PhD in biomedical engineering at Texas A&M University, where he focused on electromagnetic modeling and 7T RF coil design. As part of a collaboration with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, he designed and built over 20 coils for 7T MRI and multinuclear MRS. In his current position as an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and electrical engineering at Purdue University, he continues to collaborate externally on 7T human studies, notably on pTx coil modeling and B1 shim optimization for brain MRSI. He is also a member of the Purdue Neurotrauma Group, utilizing multiparametric brain MRI and MRS to elucidate biomarkers of injury and recovery. Finally, his group has developed a class of wearable and stretchable RF coils, most recently collaborating with GE Healthcare to demonstrate a 60-channel receive array for supine breast MRI.