Comparison of Thermal Safety Practice Guidelines for Diagnostic Ultrasound Exposures

This article examines the historical evolution of various practice guidelines designed to minimize the possibility of thermal injury during a diagnostic ultrasound examination, including those published by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, British Medical Ultrasound Society and Health Canada. The guidelines for prenatal/neonatal examinations are in general agreement, but significant differences were found for postnatal exposures. We propose sets of thermal index versus exposure time for these examination categories below which there is reasonable assurance that an examination can be conducted without risk of producing an adverse thermal effect under any scanning conditions. If it is necessary to exceed these guidelines, the occurrence of an adverse thermal event is still unlikely in most situations because of mitigating factors such as transducer movement and perfusion, but the general principle of "as low as reasonably achievable" should be followed. Some limitations of the biological effects studies underpinning the guidelines also are discussed briefly.

Quantitative filter technique measurements of spectral light absorption by aquatic particles using a portable integrating cavity absorption meter (QFT-ICAM)

The accurate determination of light absorption coefficients of particles in water, especially in very oligotrophic oceanic areas, is still a challenging task. Concentrating aquatic particles on a glass fiber filter and using the Quantitative Filter Technique (QFT) is a common practice. Its routine application is limited by the necessary use of high performance spectrophotometers, distinct problems induced by the strong scattering of the filters and artifacts induced by freezing and storing samples. Measurements of the sample inside a large integrating sphere reduce scattering effects and direct field measurements avoid artifacts due to sample preservation. A small, portable, Integrating Cavity Absorption Meter setup (QFT-ICAM) is presented, that allows rapid measurements of a sample filter. The measurement technique takes into account artifacts due to chlorophyll-a fluorescence. The QFT-ICAM is shown to be highly comparable to similar measurements in laboratory spectrophotometers, in terms of accuracy, precision, and path length amplification effects. No spectral artifacts were observed when compared to measurement of samples in suspension, whereas freezing and storing of sample filters induced small losses of water-soluble pigments (probably phycoerythrins). Remaining problems in determining the particulate absorption coefficient with the QFT-ICAM are strong sample-to-sample variations of the path length amplification, as well as fluorescence by pigments that is emitted in a different spectral region than that of chlorophyll-a.

CoNi@SiO2 @TiO2 and CoNi@Air@TiO2 Microspheres with Strong Wideband Microwave Absorption

The synthesis of CoNi@SiO2 @TiO2 core-shell and CoNi@Air@TiO2 yolk-shell microspheres is reported for the first time. Owing to the magnetic-dielectric synergistic effect, the obtained CoNi@SiO2 @TiO2 microspheres exhibit outstanding microwave absorption performance with a maximum reflection loss of -58.2 dB and wide bandwidth of 8.1 GHz (8.0-16.1 GHz, < -10 dB).

Bioinspired Bifunctional Membrane for Efficient Clean Water Generation

Solving the problems of water pollution and water shortage is an urgent need for the sustainable development of modern society. Different approaches, including distillation, filtration, and photocatalytic degradation, have been developed for the purification of contaminated water and the generation of clean water. In this study, we explored a new approach that uses solar light for both water purification and clean water generation. A bifunctional membrane consisting of a top layer of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), a middle layer of Au NPs, and a bottom layer of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) was designed and fabricated through multiple filtration processes. Such a design enables both TiO2 NP-based photocatalytic function and Au NP-based solar-driven plasmonic evaporation. With the integration of these two functions into a single membrane, both the purification of contaminated water through photocatalytic degradation and the generation of clean water through evaporation were demonstrated using simulated solar illumination. Such a demonstration should also help open up a new strategy for maximizing solar energy conversion and utilization.

Weak two-photon absorption applied to the rapid prototyping of cell scaffolds

Two-photon polymerization (TPP) has been employed to generate deep structures using the biocompatible and optically transparent monomer ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EO=6) (EBPADMA) and 4, 4'-Bis(diethylamino)benzophenon as the photoinitiator. The two-photon absorption cross section of the initiator was measured to be 1 GM (1  GM=1×10(-50)  cm(4) s photon(-1)) in EBPADMA. Here we have explored a weak absorption regime whereby deep structures (∼300  μm) can be generated in a single pass. This allows rapid fabrication of structures suitable for cell scaffolds where the length scales are small, ∼10  μm, but are required over long ranges, ∼cm. The dependence of the TPP properties on the writing power, speed, exposure time and NA, of the focusing lens were studied in detail. Diffraction calculations for the focusing optics employed show that spherical aberration plays a significant role in determining the feature sizes achieved.

Nanoparticle scattering characterization and mechanistic modelling of UV-TiO2 photocatalytic reactors using computational fluid dynamics

A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed to describe the process performance of a semi-batch annular TiO2-UV photoreactor in an Eulerian framework. The model accounted for the optical behaviour of titanium dioxide (TiO2) suspensions, the flow distribution and the oxalic acid degradation in the reactor. The scattering component of the optical model, explicitly included in the CFD simulations using a TiO2-specific scattering phase function integrated in the radiative transfer equation, was calibrated using an optical goniometer by comparing simulated scattering light profiles against irradiance measurements collected for various TiO2 concentrations and UV wavelengths and subsequently solved by the discrete ordinate (DO) radiation model. Several scattering phase functions were tested against the goniometric measurements confirming that the Henyey-Greenstein (HG) equation was the most appropriate angular distribution function at 254 and 355 nm, irrespective of the TiO2 concentration. Using the calibrated HG function, a new approach for quantifying the absolute values of absorption and scattering coefficients in TiO2 suspensions was proposed. It consists of iteratively solving, using the DO model, the radiative transfer equation for various combinations of absorption and scattering coefficients until the error between observed and predicted angular irradiance measurements is minimized. The accuracy of the optical parameters was verified with independent CFD simulations carried out for an annular photoreactor and already available in the literature. Predicted and simulated irradiance and oxalic acid degradation data were found to be in excellent agreement, confirming the considerable potential of the integrated modelling approach presented in this paper for the design, optimization and scale-up of photocatalytic technologies for water and wastewater treatment applications.

Note: Gratings on low absorbing substrates for x-ray phase contrast imaging

Grating based X-ray phase contrast imaging is on the verge of being applied in clinical settings. To achieve this goal, compact setups with high sensitivity and dose efficiency are necessary. Both can be increased by eliminating unwanted absorption in the beam path, which is mainly due to the grating substrates. Fabrication of gratings via deep X-ray lithography can address this issue by replacing the commonly used silicon substrate with materials with lower X-ray absorption that fulfill certain boundary conditions. Gratings were produced on both graphite and polymer substrates without compromising on structure quality. These gratings were tested in a three-grating setup with a source operated at 40 kVp and lead to an increase in the detector photon count rate of almost a factor of 4 compared to a set of gratings on silicon substrates. As the visibility was hardly affected, this corresponds to a significant increase in sensitivity and therefore dose efficiency.

An interlaboratory comparison of dosimetry for a multi-institutional radiobiological research project: Observations, problems, solutions and lessons learned

PURPOSE

An interlaboratory comparison of radiation dosimetry was conducted to determine the accuracy of doses being used experimentally for animal exposures within a large multi-institutional research project. The background and approach to this effort are described and discussed in terms of basic findings, problems and solutions.

METHODS

Dosimetry tests were carried out utilizing optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters embedded midline into mouse carcasses and thermal luminescence dosimeters (TLD) embedded midline into acrylic phantoms.

RESULTS

The effort demonstrated that the majority (4/7) of the laboratories was able to deliver sufficiently accurate exposures having maximum dosing errors of ≤5%. Comparable rates of 'dosimetric compliance' were noted between OSL- and TLD-based tests. Data analysis showed a highly linear relationship between 'measured' and 'target' doses, with errors falling largely between 0 and 20%. Outliers were most notable for OSL-based tests, while multiple tests by 'non-compliant' laboratories using orthovoltage X-rays contributed heavily to the wide variation in dosing errors.

CONCLUSIONS

For the dosimetrically non-compliant laboratories, the relatively high rates of dosing errors were problematic, potentially compromising the quality of ongoing radiobiological research. This dosimetry effort proved to be instructive in establishing rigorous reviews of basic dosimetry protocols ensuring that dosing errors were minimized.

Influence of the absorber dimensions on wavefront shaping based on volumetric optoacoustic feedback

The recently demonstrated control over light distribution through turbid media based on real-time three-dimensional optoacoustic feedback has offered promising prospects to interferometrically focus light within scattering objects. Nevertheless, the focusing capacity of the feedback-based approach is strongly conditioned by the number of optical modes (speckle grains) enclosed in the volume that can be resolved with the optoacoustic imaging system. In this Letter, we experimentally tested the light intensity enhancement achieved with optoacoustic feedback measurements from different sizes of absorbing microparticles. The importance of the obtained results is discussed in the context of potential signal enhancement at deep locations within a scattering medium where the effective speckle grain sizes approach the minimum values dictated by optical diffraction.

Photoactive composite films prepared from mixtures of polystyrene microgel dispersions and poly(3-hexylthiophene) solutions

Whilst polystyrene microgels belong to the oldest family of microgel particles, their behaviours when deposited onto substrates or prepared as composites have received little attention. Because polystyrene microgels are solvent-swellable, and inherently colloidally stable, they are well suited to form composites with conjugated polymers. Here, we investigate the morphology and light absorption properties of spin coated composite films prepared from mixed dispersions of polystyrene microgels and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) for the first time. We compare the morphologies of the composite films to spin coated microgel films. The films were studied using optical microscopy, SEM, AFM, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and UV-visible spectroscopy. The films contained flattened microgel particles with an aspect ratio of ∼10. Microgel islands containing hexagonally close packed particles were evident for both the pure microgel and microgel/P3HT composite films. The latter were electrically conducting. The composite film morphology was dependent on the microgel and P3HT concentration used for film preparation and a morphology phase diagram was constructed. The P3HT phase acted as an electrically conducting cement and increased the robustness of the films to solvent washing. The composite films were photoactive due to the P3HT component. The absorbance for the films was tuneable and increased linearly with both microgel and P3HT concentration. The results of the study should apply to other organic swellable microgel/conjugated polymer combinations and may lead to new colloidal composites for future optoelectronic applications.

Analyses of local dose distributions in the lungs for the determination of risk apportionment factors

For radiation protection purposes, the relative contributions of bronchial (BB), bronchiolar (bb) and alveolar-interstitial (AI) doses to lung cancer risk are represented by their corresponding apportionment factors. The current assumption of equal apportionment factors can be tested by comparing different radon and thoron progeny exposures, which produce different regional dose distributions, with the pathologically observed regional cancer distributions: (1) radon progeny inhalation, (2) thoron progeny inhalation, (3) thoron and thoron progeny exhalation (Thorotrast patients) and (4) RP inhalation in rats, and cigarette smoke inhalation as smoking is the dominant cause of lung cancer. Comparison with the pathologically observed regional cancer distributions suggests (1) a smaller apportionment factor for the AI region as compared with BB and bb regions and (2) a higher value for the BB region relative to that for the bb region.

Verification by the FISH translocation assay of historic doses to Mayak workers from external gamma radiation

The aim of this study was to apply the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) translocation assay in combination with chromosome painting of peripheral blood lymphocytes for retrospective biological dosimetry of Mayak nuclear power plant workers exposed chronically to external gamma radiation. These data were compared with physical dose estimates based on monitoring with badge dosimeters throughout each person's working life. Chromosome translocation yields for 94 workers of the Mayak production association were measured in three laboratories: Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Leiden University Medical Center and the former Health Protection Agency of the UK (hereinafter Public Health England). The results of the study demonstrated that the FISH-based translocation assay in workers with prolonged (chronic) occupational gamma-ray exposure was a reliable biological dosimeter even many years after radiation exposure. Cytogenetic estimates of red bone marrow doses from external gamma rays were reasonably consistent with dose measurements based on film badge readings successfully validated in dosimetry system "Doses-2005" by FISH, within the bounds of the associated uncertainties.

Assessment of the characterization of nonabsorbing nanoparticles in suspension from effective optical properties

We analyze a method recently proposed to retrieve the size, refractive index, and concentration of particles in nonabsorbing nanofluids from measurements of the complex effective refractive index of two dilutions of the nanofluid [Opt. Lett.39, 559 (2014)]. The method uses simple formulas to retrieve the particles' parameters. First, we discuss precautions needed with the new method when inferring the refractive index of the particles from measurements of the imaginary part of the effective refractive index of two dilutions of the original nanofluid. Then we analyze the use of this methodology to obtain some average radius in the size of polydisperse suspensions and in the case of suspensions of weakly absorbing particles. We also perform an error analysis considering fixed errors in measurements and calculating the errors in the retrieved size, refractive index, and concentration of particles. Finally, we characterize experimentally nanofluids of polymeric particles fabricated of poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) for which we achieved an uncertainty of 5×10(-3) and 1×10(-2) in the determination of the particle refractive index, respectively, and a precision better than 3% in the determination of their radii.

Mean Organ Doses Resulting From Non-Human Primate Whole Thorax Lung Irradiation Prescribed to Mid-Line Tissue

Multi-organ dose evaluations and the effects of heterogeneous tissue dose calculations have been retrospectively evaluated following irradiation to the whole thorax and lung in non-human primates (NHP). A clinical-based approach was established to evaluate actual doses received in the heart and lungs during whole thorax lung irradiation. Anatomical structure and organ densities have been introduced in the calculations to show the effects of dose distribution through heterogeneous tissue. Mean organ doses received by non-human primates undergoing whole thorax lung irradiations were calculated using a treatment planning system that is routinely used in clinical radiation oncology. The doses received by non-human primates irradiated following conventional dose calculations have been retrospectively reconstructed using computerized tomography-based, heterogeneity-corrected dose calculations. The use of dose volume descriptors for irradiation to organs at risk and tissue exposed to radiation is introduced. Mean and partial-volume doses to lung and heart are presented and contrasted. The importance of exact dose definitions is highlighted, and the relevance of precise dosimetry to establish organ-specific dose response relationships in NHP models of acute and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure is emphasized.

Acoustic Properties of Breast Fat

OBJECTIVES

The American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) atlas for ultrasound (US) qualitatively describes the echogenicity and attenuation of a mass, where fat lobules serve as a standard for comparison. This study aimed to estimate acoustic properties of breast fat under clinical imaging conditions to determine the degree to which properties vary among patients.

METHODS

Twenty-four women with solid breast masses scheduled for biopsy were scanned with a Siemens S2000 scanner and 18L6 linear array transducer (Siemens Medical Solutions, Malvern, PA). Offline analysis estimated the attenuation coefficient and backscatter coefficients (BSCs) from breast fat using the reference phantom method. The average BSC was calculated over 6 to 12 MHz to objectively quantify the BI-RADS US echo pattern descriptor, and effective scatterer diameters were also estimated.

RESULTS

A power law fit to the attenuation coefficient versus frequency yielded an attenuation coefficient of 1.28 dB·cm(-1) MHz(-0.73). The mean attenuation coefficient versus frequency slope ± SD at 7 MHz was 0.73 ± 0.23 dB·cm(-1) MHz(-1), in agreement with previously reported values. The BSC versus frequency showed close agreement among all patients, both in magnitude and frequency dependence, with a power law fit of (0.6 ± 0.25) ×10(-4) sr(-1) cm(-1) MHz(-2.49). The average backscatter in the 6-12-MHz range was 0.004 ± 0.002 sr(-1) cm(-1). The mean effective scatterer diameter for fat was 60.2 ± 9.5 μm.

CONCLUSIONS

The agreement in parameter estimates for breast fat among these patients supports the use of fat as a standard for comparison with tumors. Results also suggest that objective quantification of these BI-RADS US descriptors may reduce subjectivity when interpreting B-mode image data.

A method for safety testing of radiofrequency/microwave-emitting devices using MRI

PURPOSE

Strict regulations are imposed on the amount of radiofrequency (RF) energy that devices can emit to prevent excessive deposition of RF energy into the body. In this study, we investigated the application of MR temperature mapping and 10-g average specific absorption rate (SAR) computation for safety evaluation of RF-emitting devices.

METHODS

Quantification of the RF power deposition was shown for an MRI-compatible dipole antenna and a non-MRI-compatible mobile phone via phantom temperature change measurements. Validation of the MR temperature mapping method was demonstrated by comparison with physical temperature measurements and electromagnetic field simulations. MR temperature measurements alongside physical property measurements were used to reconstruct 10-g average SAR.

RESULTS

The maximum temperature change for a dipole antenna and the maximum 10-g average SAR were 1.83°C and 12.4 W/kg, respectively, for simulations and 1.73°C and 11.9 W/kg, respectively, for experiments. The difference between MR and probe thermometry was <0.15°C. The maximum temperature change and the maximum 10-g average SAR for a cell phone radiating at maximum output for 15 min was 1.7°C and 0.54 W/kg, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Information acquired using MR temperature mapping and thermal property measurements can assess RF/microwave safety with high resolution and fidelity.

Absorbed dose rate in air in metropolitan Tokyo before the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

The monitoring of absorbed dose rate in air has been carried out continually at various locations in metropolitan Tokyo after the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. While the data obtained before the accident are needed to more accurately assess the effects of radionuclide contamination from the accident, detailed data for metropolitan Tokyo obtained before the accident have not been reported. A car-borne survey of the absorbed dose rate in air in metropolitan Tokyo was carried out during August to September 2003. The average absorbed dose rate in air in metropolitan Tokyo was 49±6 nGy h(-1). The absorbed dose rate in air in western Tokyo was higher compared with that in central Tokyo. Here, if the absorbed dose rate indoors in Tokyo is equivalent to that outdoors, the annual effective dose would be calculated as 0.32 mSv y(-1).

Analysis of natural radionuclides in soil samples of Purola area of Garhwal Himalaya, India

Naturally occurring radioactive materials are widely spread in the earth's environment, being distributed in soil, rocks, water, air, plants and even within the human body. All of these sources have contributed to an increase in the levels of environmental radioactivity and population radiation doses. This paper presents the activity level due to the presence of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in soil samples of Purola area in Garhwal Himalaya region. The measured activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in collected soil samples of Purola was found to vary from 13±10 to 55±10 Bq kg(-1) with an average of 31±2 Bq kg(-1), 13±10 to 101±13 Bq kg(-1) with an average 30±3 Bq kg(-1) and 150±81 to 1310±154 Bq kg(-1) with an average 583±30 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity in collected soil samples was found to vary from 47 to 221 Bq kg(-1) with an average of 115 Bq kg(-1). The total absorbed gamma dose rate in this area was found to vary from 22 to 93 nGy h(-1) with an average of 55 nGy h(-1). The distribution of these radionuclides in the soil of study area is discussed in details.

A Series of Imidazole Derivatives: Synthesis, Two-Photon Absorption, and Application for Bioimaging

A new series of D-π-A type imidazole derivatives have been synthesized and characterized. Two corresponding imidazolium salts (iodine and hexafluorophosphate) were prepared from the imidazole compound. Their electron-withdrawing ability can be largely tunable by salt formation reaction or ion exchange. UV-vis absorption and single-photon fluorescence spectra have been systematically investigated in different solvents. The two-photon cross sections (δ 2PA) of the imidazole derivatives are measured by two-photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) method. Compared with those of T-1 (107 GM) and T-3 (96 GM), T-2 (imidazolium iodine salt) has a large two-photon absorption (2PA) cross section value of 276 GM. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and applications in bioimaging for the imidazole derivatives were carried out. The results showed that T-1 can be used as a lysosomal tracker with high stability and water solubility within pHs of 4-6, while T-2 and T-3 can be used as probes for cell cytoplasm.

Laser line illumination scheme allowing the reduction of background signal and the correction of absorption heterogeneities effects for fluorescence reflectance imaging

Intraoperative fluorescence imaging in reflectance geometry is an attractive imaging modality as it allows to noninvasively monitor the fluorescence targeted tumors located below the tissue surface. Some drawbacks of this technique are the background fluorescence decreasing the contrast and absorption heterogeneities leading to misinterpretations concerning fluorescence concentrations. We propose a correction technique based on a laser line scanning illumination scheme. We scan the medium with the laser line and acquire, at each position of the line, both fluorescence and excitation images. We then use the finding that there is a relationship between the excitation intensity profile and the background fluorescence one to predict the amount of signal to subtract from the fluorescence images to get a better contrast. As the light absorption information is contained both in fluorescence and excitation images, this method also permits us to correct the effects of absorption heterogeneities. This technique has been validated on simulations and experimentally. Fluorescent inclusions are observed in several configurations at depths ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm. Results obtained with this technique are compared with those obtained with a classical wide-field detection scheme for contrast enhancement and with the fluorescence by an excitation ratio approach for absorption correction.

Optical phantoms with adjustable subdiffusive scattering parameters

A new epoxy-resin-based optical phantom system with adjustable subdiffusive scattering parameters is presented along with measurements of the intrinsic absorption, scattering, fluorescence, and refractive index of the matrix material. Both an aluminium oxide powder and a titanium dioxide dispersion were used as scattering agents and we present measurements of their scattering and reduced scattering coefficients. A method is theoretically described for a mixture of both scattering agents to obtain continuously adjustable anisotropy values g between 0.65 and 0.9 and values of the phase function parameter γ in the range of 1.4 to 2.2. Furthermore, we show absorption spectra for a set of pigments that can be added to achieve particular absorption characteristics. By additional analysis of the aging, a fully characterized phantom system is obtained with the novelty of g and γ parameter adjustment.

Absorbed Dose Rates in Tissue from Prompt Gamma Emissions from Near-thermal Neutron Absorption

Prompt gamma emission data from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Prompt Gamma-ray Neutron Activation Analysis database are analyzed to determine the absorbed dose rates in tissue to be expected when natural elements are exposed in a near-thermal neutron environment.

A Simple Method for Human Whole Blood Microcultures and Its Application in Radiation Biodosimetry

The scoring of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus and dicentric chromosomes in human peripheral blood lymphocytes is used as a dosimeter of radiation exposure. A detailed methodology is presented for human whole blood microculture for cytogenetic analysis. The technique described yields more than sufficient numbers of mitotic lymphocytes for analyzing micronuclei and chromosome aberrations following exposure to radiation.

Conjugated Polymer-Based Hybrid Nanoparticles with Two-Photon Excitation and Near-Infrared Emission Features for Fluorescence Bioimaging within the Biological Window

Hybrid fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) capable of fluorescing near-infrared (NIR) light (centered ∼730 nm) upon excitation of 800 nm laser light were constructed. A new type of conjugated polymer with two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) feature, P-F8-DPSB, was used as the NIR-light harvesting component and the energy donor while a NIR fluorescent dye, DPA-PR-PDI, was used as the energy acceptor and the NIR-light emitting component for the construction of the fluorescent NPs. The hybrid NPs possess δ value up to 2.3 × 10(6) GM per particle upon excitation of 800 nm pulse laser. The excellent two-photon absorption (TPA) property of the conjugated polymer component, together with its high fluorescence quantum yield (ϕ) up to 45% and the efficient energy transfer from the conjugated polymer to NIR-emitting fluorophore with efficiency up to 90%, imparted the hybrid NPs with TPEF-based NIR-input-NIR-output fluorescence imaging ability with penetration depth up to 1200 μm. The practicability of the hybrid NPs for fluorescence imaging in Hela cells was validated.

The effect of high-permittivity pads on specific absorption rate in radiofrequency-shimmed dual-transmit cardiovascular magnetic resonance at 3T

BACKGROUND

Dual-channel transmit technology improves the image quality in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 3 T by reducing the degree of radiofrequency (RF) shading over the heart by using RF shimming. Further improvements in image quality have been shown on a dual-transmit system using high permittivity pads. The aim of this study is to investigate the transmit field (B 1 (+)) homogeneity and the specific absorption rate (SAR) using high permittivity pads as a function of the complete range of possible RF-shim settings in order to gauge the efficacy and safety of this approach.

METHODS

Electromagnetic (EM) simulations were performed in five different body models using a dual-transmit RF coil, with and without high permittivity pads. The RF shimming behaviour in terms of B 1 (+) homogeneity and local SAR were determined as a function of different RF-shim settings. Comparative experimental data were obtained in healthy volunteers (n = 33) on either a standard-bore (60 cm diameter) or wide-bore (70 cm diameter) 3 T CMR system.

RESULTS

EM simulations and experimental data showed higher (B 1 (+)) homogeneity and lower SAR for optimized RF-shim settings when using the high permittivity pads. The power distribution between the two channels was also much closer to being equal using the pads. EM simulations showed that for all five body models studied, optimized RF-shim settings corresponded to reduced local SAR using high permittivity pads. However, there are also specific, non-optimal RF-shim settings for which the actual SAR using the pads would be higher (up to ~20 %) than that calculated by the CMR system.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of active (dual transmit) and passive (high permittivity pads) RF shimming shows great promise for increasing image quality for cardiac imaging at 3 T. Optimized RF-shim settings result in increased B 1 (+) homogeneity and reduced SAR with the high permittivity pads: however, there are non-optimal cases in which SAR might be underestimated, and these merit further investigation.