An 8-Parallel Transmit 32-Receive Array Head Coil for Clinical Use at 7.0 Tesla

An 8-parallel transmit 32-Rx head coil was built and evaluated for performance in high-field MRI. The coil is comprised of an 8-rung curved degenerate birdcage transmitter and a 32-loop element receive array. The coil housing was designed with an anterior/posterior split and eye windows for patient comfort, and a sizable interior that can fit 99 percent of the general population. A volunteer was imaged to confirm transmit coverage, which includes the entire brain and upper cervical spine. Good B1 uniformity, and improved transmit efficiency over previously built non-curved Tx head coils were also confirmed.