Sweep imaging with Fourier transformation (SWIFT) can image extremely short-lived MRI signals such as cortical bone and lung. However, it requires fast transmit/receive (T/R) switching during the gapped RF excitation, which cannot be handled with standard clinical MRI hardware. A fast transmit/receive switch (switching time ≤ 400 ns) is developed for integration into an 8-channel in-bore T/R switch interface. These T/R switches are driven via repurposed Varian PIN drivers which are, in turn, triggered via an optical-to-TTL signal. This hardware enabled the acquisition of SWIFT images of the human head at 7T with an 8-channel transmit/receive degenerate birdcage coil.
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