Design and construction of new small gradient coils for mouse MRI

Abstract

Abstract We represent small Z- and Y-gradient coils with higher gradient strength and slew rate for mouse MRI. The coil geometries are optimized based on predetermined conditions for the gradient strength and slew rate in terms of minimum power consumption and acceptable linearity for the variation of the magnetic fields using the particle swarm optimization algorithm in computer simulation technology. The simulation results verify that the magnitudes of the field strength and slew rate have reached up to 144 m T ⋅ m − 1 and 1297 m T ⋅ ( m ⋅ m s ) − 1 for the Z-gradient coil and increased to 109 m T ⋅ m − 1 and 1264 m T ⋅ ( m ⋅ m s ) − 1 for the Y-gradient coil, respectively. Furthermore, the optimal geometry of the Z-gradient coil derived from a simulation study was then fabricated, and its parameters were measured using a Hall sensor. The gradient strength and slew rate of the fabricated Z-gradient coil were measured at 131 m T ⋅ m − 1 and 1180 m T ⋅ ( m ⋅ m s ) − 1 , respectively, which have only a 9% difference from the corresponding simulated parameters.