How Many Channels Do You Need for Your MR System?

​Today, new MR systems are usually equipped with 8, 16, 32, or even more channels. The number of channels has a significant effect on the cost of the system and the choice of coils available to the user. The number of channels you should have on your system depends in large part on the size of the system's magnet:

Facilities with low patient throughput will find that eight-channel systems are adequate for most users. Adding more channels is recommended for facilities intending to use parallel imaging more routinely (e.g., for abdominal imaging). Parallel imaging uses redundant information acquired by...