Analysis of patch, dipole, microstrip, and loop Tx arrays as a bore-tube integrated 7T body coil

Motivation: The lack of a bore-tube integrated body Tx coil, such as those in common use at 1.5T and 3T, poses a significant barrier to clinical acceptance of 7T. Goal(s): We evaluate transmit and SAR efficiency, uniformity, and load stability of 4 different bore-tube integrated 7T body transmitters for use with arbitrary trajectory pTx pulses. Approach: We simulated 8-channel patch, dipole, microstrip, loop pTx arrays, and a birdcage coil using a full co-simulation/body-model approach and evaluated their performance for optimized trajectory pTx excitation. Results: Patch array demonstrated superior transmit uniformity and power-efficiency, making it a promising design for 7T body MRI. Impact: Our findings suggest that the patch pTx array can improve 7T body MRI by enhancing transmit efficiency and stability while maintaining SAR safety. Development of such an array could enable facilitate clinical body imaging at 7T.