Simulations of Tx-SENSE Performance of a 4 Channel Decoupled Loop Array for Cardiac Imaging at 7T

Frank Seifert^1,2, Tomasz Dawid Lindel^1,2, Andr Kuehne^1,2, Helmar Waiczies^1,2, Wolfgang Renz, ²³, Bernd Ittermann^1,2

Tx-SENSE performance depends crucially on the reliable knowledge of the transmit sensitivity maps of the coil elements. For 7T body imaging the virtual reference approach fails to get reliable maps. This was shown for a simulated Tx-SENSE based zoomed cardiac imaging experiment at 7T. FDTD simulations were performed for a experimental 4-channel TX/RX coil array. Using either the virtual reference approach or the true sensitivity maps two sets of RF pulse shapes were calculated for a box like excitation pattern covering the heart. For both RF pulse sets the flip angle distribution was calculated from a full Bloch Equation simulation.