Surface coil artifact

When scanning with surface coils, remember these basic rules:

• Match the coil to the anatomy or area you are going to image – this will let you optimize the SNR for the desired scan time.
• Match the FOV to the size of the coil or number of coil elements selected.
  • If the receiver coil is larger than the FOV, signal from tissue outside the FOV can be aliased into the FOV. To help overcome this problem, apply a large enough No Phase Wrap factor to oversample in the phase direction. Although this removes the aliased signal, scan time is prolonged.
  • Smaller coils reduce the area of coverage, yet increase the inherent SNR of images and therefore fewer signal averages are needed.
  • Individual patient anatomy may sometimes make it difficult to use the appropriate coil. It may be necessary to use an alternative coil (such as a Flex coil) to get the best image possible. While image quality may suffer, the alternative is no image at all.
  • Select a coil configuration and FOV based on the number of elements chosen.
• Consult individual coil manuals for FOV coverage and be conscious of the coil’s limitations when selecting FOV.
• Always read the manual for the particular coil configuration you are using.
• Always be aware of and follow safe MR scanning procedures.