Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance imaging includes exciting magnetic resonant active nuclei in a region of interest; creating magnetic field gradients; receiving radio frequency data from the region of interest; and producing an image by combining images obtained from radio frequency signals of single coils of the array and weighting the images of each coil with a sensitivity of the corresponding coil, wherein an estimated sensitivity of each coil of the array being used is determined by applying a smoothing filter to a k-space data set received from each coil; and wherein for a one-dimensional sensitivity profile the filter is configured with a triangular shape and for a two-dimensional sensitivity profile the filter is configured with a pyramidal shape, the triangular filter having a width and the pyramidal filter having a base double a maximum spatial frequency of the corresponding coil field.

Abstract: Method of magnetic resonance imaging comprising the steps of: exciting magnetic resonant (MR) active nuclei in a region of interest; creating magnetic field gradients in a phase-encode direction for spatially encoding the excited MR active nuclei; the number of phase-encode gradients producing a field of view corresponding to the region of interest; receiving radio frequency data from the region of interest using an array of at least two radio frequency receive coils, and producing from the radio frequency data an image by combining the images Si obtained from the radio frequency signals of the single coils Ci of the array by weighting the said images Si of each coil Ci with the sensitivity Bi of the corresponding coil Ci; an estimated sensitivity Bi (Fourier domain) of each coil Ci of the array being used, which is determined by applying a smoothing filter fi to the k-space data si received from each coil Ci.

Abstract: Receiving coil for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for spinal column images, where the apparatus has a supporting bench of the patient and an element for generating a static magnetic field perpendicularly oriented with respect to the supporting bench of the patient. The receiving coil is provided with at least two conductors useful for the detection extending in the direction of the positioning of the longitudinal extension of the spinal column and in the supporting bench or in a bench parallel to the supporting bench of the patient and have a length that is enough to cover approximately the anatomic district of the spinal column or a part of interest thereof, the distance of the two conductors being in the order of magnitude of the average width of the spinal columns and the two conductors being connected in such a way to have a coherent flowing direction of current.

Abstract: Receiving coil for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for spinal column images, where the apparatus has a supporting bench of the patient and an element for generating a static magnetic field perpendicularly oriented with respect to the supporting bench of the patient. The receiving coil is provided with at least two conductors useful for the detection extending in the direction of the positioning of the longitudinal extension of the spinal column and in the supporting bench or in a bench parallel to the supporting bench of the patient and have a length that is enough to cover approximately the anatomic district of the spinal column or a part of interest thereof, the distance of the two conductors being in the order of magnitude of the average width of the spinal columns and the two conductors being connected in such a way to have a coherent flowing direction of current.