Separate Transmit and Receive (STR)
"Visual Coil" Model NMSC-012

Features:

"Visual Coil" for Allegra 3T

• 350% increase in occipital Signal to Noise Ratio
• Separate Transmit and Receive (STR) Elements maximize image contrast and sensitivity
• Open front half of coil maximizes ability to present visual stimuli in high performance head-optimized gradient sets
• Can be used as a phased array on systems with this capability

Description:

The NMSC-012 STR visual coil is designed specifically for functional imaging of the human visual system on high field systems with high performance head-optimized gradient sets. A large transmit element allows good transmit homogeneity and image contrast while a dual loop quadrature receive coil maximizes sensitivity over the occipital lobe. In comparison to typical system provided birdcage head coils, the open front portion of the STR "Visual Coil" allows unobstructed presentation of visual stimuli.

The high sensitivity provided by this coil over the primary and high-order visual processing areas provides several orders of magnitude increase in the statistics of visual fMRI studies. The initial version of this design has been used extensively at Massachusetts General Hospital on a Siemens Allegra 3T MRI Scanner.

Specifications: