Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering

Graduate Exam Abstract

Pranav Athalye
Ph.D. Preliminary
Jul 26, 2019, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Physics building, room 126
Designing Novel Radio-Frequency Coils for High Field and Ultra-High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Abstract: High and Ultra-high field imaging is
currently an area of intense research
in the field of magnetic resonance
imaging. At this fields and frequencies,
design considerations for RF coils
change considerable. This dissertation
discusses novel designs such as
helical coil antenna and slotted
waveguide array RF coils for 3 T, 4.7 T,
7 T and 10.5 T. Design and analysis of
the coils are performed by multiple
numerical simulations using multiple
computational electromagnetic
techniques. The simulation results are
compared with some of the state-of-
the-art RF coils designs. Some of
these coil prototypes are fabricated,
tested, validated and evaluated
experimentally.
Adviser: Branislav Notaros
Co-Adviser:
Non-ECE Member: Thomas Johnson
Member 3: Ali Pezeshki
Addional Members: Milan Ilic
Publications:
Athalye PS, Šekeljić NJ, Ilić MM, Tonyushkin AA, Notaroš BM.
Subject-loaded
quadrifilar helical-antenna
RF coil with high B1
+
field uniformity and large FOV for 3-T
MRI. Concepts in Magnetic
Resonance. 2016;46B(3):106‐17.

Athalye PS, Ilić MM, Van de Moortele P-F, Kiruluta AJM, Notaroš BM.
Multi-channel helical-antenna inner-volume RF coils for ultra-high field MR scanners. Concepts in Magnetic
Resonance. 2016;48B(3)

Athalye PS, Ilić MM, Van de Moortele P-F, Kiruluta AJM,
Notaroš BM. “Multi-Channel Helical-Antenna Inner-Volume RF
Coils for Ultra-High-Field MR Scanners”. (Abstract) Proceedings
of the 24th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, ISMRM 2016, 7-13 May 2016,
Singapore. 2016.

Athalye PS, Šekeljić NJ, Ilić MM, et al. “Long and Short
Monofilar and Quadrifilar Helical Antenna RF Coils at 7 T”.
(Abstract) Invited Presentation. 10th Biennial 2015 Minnesota
Workshop on High and Ultra-High Field Imaging, October 1-3,
2015, Minneapolis, MN. 2015.
Program of Study:
ECE-642-001: Time Harmonic Electromagnetics
ECE-536-001: RF Integrated Circuit Design
MATH-550-001: Numerical Methods in Science and Engineering
ECE-549-001: Radar Systems and Design
MATH-530-001: Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers
MATH-550-001: Numerical Methods in Science and Engineering
ECE-540-001: Computational Electromagnetics
ECE-480A3-001: Biomedical Signal and Image Processing