An MR phased-array coil assembly was developed to obtain high-resolution images of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery. Images of volunteers and patients obtained by using alternative coil designs provided a subjective assessment of the coils' performance, field of view, ease of use, and susceptibility to motion artifacts. A quantitative measurement performed on a phantom indicated that a two-coil phased-array design should produce a 37% better signal-to-noise ratio at the carotids than would a conventional single 3-inch surface coil.