Radiofrequency magnetic resonance coils and communication antennas: Simulation and design strategies

Coils simulation and design is a fundamental task to maximize Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Magnetic Resonance applications. In the meantime, in the last years the issue of accurate communication antennas analysis has grown. Coil design techniques take advantage of computer simulations in dependence on the magnetic field wavelength and coil sizes. In particular, since at high frequencies coils start to behave as antennas, modern Magnetic Resonance coil development exploits numerical methods typically employed for antennas simulation. This paper reviews coil and antenna performance parameters and focuses on the different simulation approaches in dependence on the near/far field zones and operating frequency.