Mutual Inductance in Magnetic Resonance Two-Element Phased-Array Square Coils with Strip and Wire Conductors

Phased-array coils are extensively employed in Magnetic Resonance (MR) as transmitter and receiver radiofrequency (RF) coils due to their large field-of-view (FOV) and their high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Array elements have to be geometrically decoupled for mutual coupling minimization, to achieve coil performance maximization. This paper proposes an analytical method for the mutual inductance calculation between two square loops constituting a 2-element phased-array coil in dependence on the conductor cross-sectional geometry (flat strip and circular wire). Simulation accuracy was evaluated with workbench experimental measurements performed at 21 MHz frequency on two home-built array square coils.