Matthias Malzacher1,2, Markus Vester3, Robert Rehner3, Christopher Stumpf1, and Patrick Korf1
1Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany, 2Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, University Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany, 3Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany
Using
reciprocity, available SNR from a receive coil array can be calculated by maximizing B1- at the target voxel for unit input power. However, for strongly coupled or
lightly loaded coil elements, the noise figure degradation due to coupled
preamplifier noise becomes significant. It is shown here that this effect can
be modeled by power loss in a resistive attenuator at each coil port.
Thus, it is now possible to
simulate any coil configuration, including those where coil coupling cannot be
neglected.