Comparison of Four-Channel Phased Array Surface Coil and Twelve-Channel
Skull Orthogonal Coil in Ankle Joint MRI
CHEN Diyou, RAN Qisheng
Chongqing Clinical Research Center of Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Daping Hospital,
Army Medical Center of PLA, Chongqing 400042, China
Abstract:Objective To compare the difference of MRI between the four-channel phased array surface coil and the twelve-channel
skull orthogonal coil. Methods A retrospective analysis of 89 patients with ankle joint MRI in our department from January to
May of 2018. A total of 46 patients voluntarily chose four-channel phased array surface coils (experimental group)丨 a total of 43
patients voluntarily selected 12 channel head quadrature coil (routine group). The signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise
ratio (CNR) of talus, synovial fluid, Achilles tendon and muscle were measured and compared on the scan sequence of the same
parameters (PD FSE T2 fs), Image quality was evaluated by two physicians with independent diagnostic experience. Results The
SNR of talus, synovial fluid, Achilles tendon and muscle in experimental group was significantly higher than that in conventional
group (P<0.05). The CNR of synovial fluid/talus and synovial fluid/muscle in the experimental group was significantly higher than
that in the conventional group (P<0.05), but there were no significant difference between two groups for the CNR of Achilles tendon/
muscle (P>0.05). The excellent rate of imaging in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the conventional group
(P<0.05). Conclusion The four-channel phased array surface coil has higher tissue SNR and CNR of adjacent tissue than the twelvechannel
skull orthogonal coil, which is the dominant coil of ankle joint MR imaging.