Quasi-static multi-domain inverse boundary element method for MRI coil design with minimum induced E-field

• Published in: Engineering analysis with boundary elements Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 264 - 272
• Main Authors: Cobos Sánchez, Clemente, Power, Henry, Garcia, Salvador G., Rubio Bretones, Amelia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Boundary element method; Coil design; Coiling; Design engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Human; Inverse; Inverse problem; Magnetic fields; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Mathematics; Methods of scientific computing (including symbolic computation, algebraic computation); MRI; Numerical analysis. Scientific computation; Peripheral nerve stimulation; Physics; Sciences and techniques of general use; Coil design; MRI; Boundary element method; Peripheral nerve stimulation; Inverse problem; Performance evaluation; Gradient; Head; Quasi static theory; Tissues; Electric currents; Biological effects; Inverse problems; Volume; Modelling; Safety; Magnetic fields; Electric fields; Domain decomposition
• ISSN: 0955-7997; 1873-197X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enganabound.2010.11.001

Boundary element methods represent a valuable approach for designing MRI gradient coils. The temporally varying magnetic fields produced by gradient coils induce electric currents in conducting tissues and so the exposure of human subjects to these magnetic fields has become a safety concern, especially with the increase in the strength of the field gradients used in MRI. Here we extend the boundary element method presented in Cobos Sanchez et al. (2010) [4], for the design of coils that minimize the electric field induced in prescribed multi-compartment volume conductor made of different homogeneous sub-domains. The multi-domain E-coil method is illustrated with the design of cylindrical head gradient coils, whose performance is numerically compared to that produced by conventional coils and single domain E-coils.