Peer Review: Magetic Resonance Instrumentation: Phased Array Coils - Pros and Cons - Essay Example

However, phased array coils have their own disadvantages. Those include higher component costs and more noise and artifacts for parallel imaging techniques that make use of phased array coils. II. Commendations The report flows well. It has a structure that has been well thought out. The introduction provides a good glimpse of what the report is about. The introduction details to a good extent a map of how the report is organized. It seems clear from the report that the way forward is with phased array coils.

The direction of the research is towards overcoming many of the disadvantages of phased array coils through technological improvements. Among them are technological advancements to address issues related to artifacts and loss of image quality. This is in parallel imaging techniques using phased array coils. It does this while retaining the advances that such parallel imaging techniques already bring to the table. Cost is also something that is to be addressed. Future versions of the technology are expected to bring down costs.

Likewise, the low resolutions available in current versions of phased array coils are expected to be addressed with improvements in other aspects of the machines. These improvements include adjusting the FOV and increasing the sizes of the image matrices. We understand from the report that phased array coils can capture larger amounts of data at compressed time frames. This is so that data processing and image reconstruction times take a hit. This is a tradeoff that is compensated by the fact that phased array coils allow for faster scan times.

The overall time from scanning to image reconstruction is still lower compared to alternatives. The report tells us how the process can be further improved by improving technologies tied to image processing, to improve image quality and image reconstruction times. The overall picture one has from the discussion on parallel imaging is this: parallel imaging techniques using phased array coils are highly flexible. They also have high SNR characteristics. Essentially, parallel imaging can allow for faster times of scan for static spatial resolutions, or greater resolutions for static scan times, or improvements in both spatial resolutions and scan times, or generally improved resolutions for reduced lengths of the train.

The “or” implies the tradeoffs that are inherent in phased array coils. In general, the ability of phased array coils to yield high SNR characteristics is what gives parallel imaging its power and flexibility. III. Affirmations One question is how far will the technology take us as far as imaging is concerned? Are there medical and scientific challenges that so far elude the current and expected advances in MRI technologies, and how can phased array coils be further improved to address those challenges?

Are there alternatives to phased array coils that have even more superior SNR and scan time and image quality characteristics, and what are those alternatives? Stepping outside of that framework, are there alternatives to phased array coils that completely rethink the idea of MRI and imaging, and are they in a position to change the game and do away with phased array coils altogether? These questions and concerns are arguably already outside of the scope of the report being reviewed, but it would be good to know, for perspective, if there are alternative technologies on the horizon that