Simultaneous image acquisition utilizing hybrid body and phased array receiver coils

In clinical MR imaging the design and selection of receiver coil is an impo rtant step in ensuring the highest image quality. Often this choice is base d on selecting a receiver coil characterized by high spatial uniformity suc h as the body and head volume receiver coils or a surface coil (or array of coils) that provide high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In the past, it has been difficult to accomplish both high SNR and spatial uniformity as both c oil types achieve one of these characteristics at the expense of the other. The purpose of this study was to achieve both high SNR and spatial uniform ity through the simultaneous acquisition of the MR signal using the body an d a surface coil array. Results indicate that this hybrid system can provid e uniformity and SNR values comparable to those achieved by the body and su rface coil arrays, respectively. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.