A Comprehensive Coil Resistance Composition Model for High Field

Introduction Loop coils are still widely-used MR receivers. The resistance of loop coils is an important factor influencing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the MR experiment. In some applications, such as small loops, low field, or lifted-off coils [1], coil noise could be the dominant factor determining SNR. Thus it is critical to fully understand components contributing in coil resistance for SNR-optimized coil design and electromagnetic field simulation for SNR quantifications [2]. In a recent publication [3], Kumar, et al, proposed a coil resistance model composed of resistive loss and effective serial resistances (ESR) of the capacitors and solder joints. The feasibility of this model was demonstrated via Q measurement on small loops for various field strengths. In this abstract, a more comprehensive model is proposed to provide better predictions of coil resistances for large and small loops at high field. Method Our current coil resistance model includes following components: conductor loss, radiation loss, ESR of capacitors and soldering joints, and loss in the backing material.