Development of an Adjustable Surface Coil for Mobile Low-Field MRI-Guided Breast Interventions

Motivation: As breast cancer becomes the most common malignant tumor in women, MRI-guided breast interventions have demonstrated their practical value in clinical. Goal(s): Low-field MRI have emerged as a new option for breast intervention platforms due to their high openness, low cost and mobility. Approach: We designed an adjustable surface coil for low-field MRI-guided breast interventions. MR images and SNR maps obtained with the surface coil and volume coil were compared using phantoms and in vivo human breast experiments. Results: The SNR of images from the silicone phantom and human breast exceed 80 dB, approximately 15% ~ 30% higher than that of the volumetric coil. Impact: This adjustable surface coil is designed to work with the open low-field MRI system, providing high imaging SNR for real-time guidance during breast interventional surgeries and expanding access to precise medical care in remote areas through the mobile MRI platform.