Computer-aided design and simulation of a double-nuclear parallel transmit RF coil array for proton MRI and carbon-13 MRS of human extremities at 7T

¹³C MR spectroscopy can offer important metabolic information in the musculoskeletal system without the use of ionizing radiation. In this work, we design and simulate a novel double-nuclear pTx RF coil array (8-channel per frequency) with ICE decoupling coils for proton MRI and ¹³C MRS of human extremities. Coupling was compared between the RF coil array with and without ICE elements demonstrating the significant decoupling effect of the ICE coils. Calculated B₁⁺ field maps for both the proton MTLs and the ¹³C loops with ICE elements show sufficient transverse magnetization for MRI and MRS applications. Through the use of switch-tuned ICE decoupling elements, we have demonstrated the feasibility of dual-frequency pTx arrays for ¹H imaging and ¹³C spectroscopy of human extremities at 7T.