Proton and heteronuclear MRI/MRS using dual-tuned (DT) coils could provide both anatomical and metabolic images without repositioning the subject. However, it is technologically challenging to attain sufficiently electromagnetic (EM) decoupling between the heteronuclear channel and proton channel, and keep the imaging areas and profiles of two nuclear channels highly matched. In this study, a hybrid monopole/loop technique was proposed for DT coil design and this technique was validated by implementing and testing a DT (1)H/(23)Na coil for MR imaging at 7T. The RF fields of the monopole ((1)H channel) and regular L/C loop ((23)Na channel) were orthogonal and intrinsically EM decoupled. Bench measurement results demonstrated the isolation between the two nuclear channels was better than -28 dB at both nuclear frequencies. Compared with the conventional DT coil using trap circuits, the monopole/loop DT coil had higher MR sensitivity for sodium imaging. The experimental results indicated that the monopole/loop technique might be a simple and efficient design for multinuclear imaging at ultrahigh fields. Additionally, the proposed DT coils based on the monopole/loop technique can be used as building blocks in designing multichannel DT coil arrays.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance image (MRI); decouple; dual-tuned (DT); loop; monopole; radiofrequency coil; sensitivity; signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); sodium; trap.