PRACTICAL DESIGN OF A HIGH-STRENGTH BREAST GRADIENT COIL

A high-strength three-axis local gradient coil set was constructed for MRI of the breast. Gradient fields with good uniformity (<10% deviati on from the desired gradient) over most of the volume required for bre ast imaging were generated with efficiencies of up to 3.3 mT/m/A. The coils will allow diffusion breast imaging in clinically acceptable exa mination times, The electrical design, water cooling system, and fabri cation techniques are described, Preliminary tests of the coil include d images of a grid phantom and diffusion measurements in a short-T-2 a garose gel phantom.