Simultaneous MR imaging of both breasts using a dedicated receiver coil.

We have designed and built a dedicated magnetic resonance (MR) coil that images both breasts simultaneously with the patient in a prone position, incorporates imaging advantages of surface coils, and benefits from having separate transmitter and receiver coils. This coil is compatible with a 0.15-T (6.3 MHz) resistive-magnet unit. It works as a simple plug-in replacement for the standard receiver coil. The unit's triple-coil structure consists of two outer coils that lie close to the lateral surface of the right and left breast and a central coil positioned between the breasts. A two-chambered box supports the coils. Breast-coil image-reception sensitivity is three to seven times greater than values obtained with a whole-body coil and shows a smooth spatial variation without oscillatory or sharply breaking behaviors. Increased sensitivity for breast tissue allows us, with a given imaging time, to use thinner sections (5 mm thick) than are possible with the whole-body coil. Since the coil is insensitive to organs such as heart and lung, motion artifact is eliminated, and image quality and resolution are further increased. Simultaneous imaging of both breasts allows direct comparison and increases patient throughput.