Coil Patents (Class 600/422)
  • Patent number: 7474098
    Abstract: An array coil for sensing signals in magnetic resonance experiments incorporates the traditional loop-butterfly array elements at spaced positions along an axis of the sample with additional stacked twisted loops and/or twisted butterfly elements. The twisted loop and twisted butterfly elements are centered along between the standard loop-butterfly array elements. The twisted array elements are naturally isolated from both the loop and butterfly. Alternatively, for a two dimensional mesh array of loop elements, additional twisted loop array elements are added with both longitudinal and transverse orientations, again centered between loop elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventor: Scott King
  • Publication number: 20080306377
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for using radio frequency coil systems for magnetic resonance imaging within an open architecture apparatus is provided. The MRI coil system includes a support structure with an open architecture in which secondary support structures, compression systems and plates containing RF coil systems may be introduced. These structures and RF coils can be moved relative to the patient, or removed entirely from the system. In one embodiment the system consists of a tabletop coil system, while another embodiment consists of a dedicated stretcher design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Cameron Anthony Piron, Christopher Alexander Luginbuhl, Donald B. Plewes
  • Patent number: 7463028
    Abstract: A device for installing a gradient coil into a magnet of a magnetic resonance system has a frame with a coil carrier passing through the gradient coil and accommodating the gradient coil. The coil carrier is arranged on two lateral supports, upon which the frame stands on the base, with devices for generating an air cushion that carries the frame being provided on the supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Dietz, Johann Schuster, Stefan Stocker
  • Publication number: 20080287775
    Abstract: In an arrangement to affix RF coils (in particular local coils) on a patient in examinations with a magnetic resonance apparatus, using a horizontal board to accommodate the patient for a magnetic resonance examination to be implemented; with the RF coil that has coil electronics; a fastening strap is fashioned to affix the coil on the patient and the fastening strap has an connection cable integrated therewith. The coil electronics are supplied with energy via the integrated connection cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Wolfgang Renz
  • Publication number: 20080284436
    Abstract: A radio frequency coil includes a non-cylindrical conformal surface (62, 76) that substantially conforms with a magnetic resonance subject. A plurality of conductor loops (60, 71, 72, 73, 74) are disposed in or on the non-cylindrical conformal surface. The plurality of conductor loops are configured to produce a substantially uniform Bi field in the magnetic resonance subject responsive to energizing at a Bi frequency. Optionally, a plurality of load-compensating conductor loops (90) are disposed in or on a compensatory non-cylindrical conformal surface (62) that substantially conforms with a magnetic resonance subject. The plurality of load-compensating conductor loops are configured to produce a non-uniform Bi field that compensates for a loading Bi non-uniformity caused by the magnetic resonance subject. Moreover, the coil may comprise switching means for switching the coil between a first mode of operation (e.g. a volume transmit mode) and a second mode of operation (e.g. a phased array reception mode).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N. V.
    Inventors: Jurgen Weizenecker, Christoph Schroder
  • Patent number: 7450984
    Abstract: A local coil arrangement for a magnetic resonance system has an antenna arrangement that is arranged in a retainer structure. The retainer structure has a waistband and a perineum element. A person to be examined dons the local coil arrangement like trousers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Engelhard, Rainer Kuth, Arne Reykowski
  • Patent number: 7450983
    Abstract: Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomotography (CT), or other diagnostic modalities may employ a three-step procedure during initial (“scout”) cranial pre-scans that corrects for patient positioning (i.e., roll, yaw and pitch) to reduce inter- and intra-patient variation, thereby enhancing the diagnostic and comparative value of subsequent detail scans even across different diagnostic platforms. In MRI, for instance, locating the saggital sinus (SS) and optimizing a line to bisect the brain through this SS may be automated to correct for roll and yaw. By then identifying the contour of the corpus callosum in a lateral saggital scout scan, the Talairach anterior commissure (AC)—posterior commissure (PC) reference line may be found for correcting pitch. Prescription of detailed scans are improved, especially when the three-step correction is repeated periodically identifying the need to repeat a detailed scan or to adjust the coordinates of a subsequent scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: University of Cincinnati
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Weiss
  • Patent number: 7450985
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a head restraint kit for use with a medical head device for immobilizing the head of a patient in medical research, diagnosis and operation. The head restraint kit is particularly suitable for use with a head coil for magnetic resonance imaging. The head restraint kit contains a head rest pillow for providing support to the head of a patient, a neck cushion for providing neck support, and one or more wedge cushions for providing further support for the head. The head restraint kit may also contain one or more compact square cushions which can be inserted into a space between the head and the medical head device for additional head support. The head restraint kit may further contain a cloth strap placed over the forehead of a patient for protecting and securing the head against movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Inventor: Mary Jane Meloy
  • Publication number: 20080275333
    Abstract: A local breast coil is designed to be tightly coupled to the natural shape of the pendant breast to provide high SNR for diagnostic MR imaging applications, while still providing access for interventional procedures through openings in the coil. In accordance with one configuration, the coil has a symmetrical design, such that the coil can be rotated about the breast to position an opening in the coil proximate to a desired portion of the breast without incurring registration or other alignment or artifact errors due to inhomogeneous B1 excitation. Furthermore, the coil is designed to facilitate medial and lateral imaging of the breast. The coil is combined with a patient support system that facilitates rotation of the coil and interchangeability of the coil to match the configuration of the coil to the position of the breast being imaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Sean Bedilion Fain, Krishna N. Kuprad, Xu Zhai
  • Publication number: 20080275332
    Abstract: A head coil for use with a parallel-imaging compatible MR system is disclosed, as is a method of making, and a neurovascular array (NVA) equipped with, same. The head coil includes conductive rings and rods configured to produce a plurality of electrically-adjacent primary resonant substructures about a birdcage-like structure, with each such primary resonant substructure including two rods neighboring each other and the short segment of each of the first and second rings interconnecting them. The primary resonant substructures are isolated from each other via a preamplifier decoupling scheme and an offset tuning scheme thereby enabling each primary resonant substructure (i) to receive an MR signal from tissue within its field of view and (ii) to be operatively couplable to one processing channel of the MR system for conveyance of the MR signal received thereby (iii) while being simultaneously decoupled from the other primary resonant substructures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: MEDRAD INC.
    Inventors: Fahad Alradady, William J. Monski, George J. Misic, Robert J. McKenney, Timothy S. Zibrat, Jaroslaw Wlodarczyk
  • Patent number: 7446528
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) coil array is used in resonance imaging and/or analysis of a subject located within a cylindrical space in which a magnetic field is operatively applied in an axial direction (z). The coil array comprises a plurality of coil elements (10, 11, 12, 13) angled relative to each other about the axis of the cylindrical space, each coil element having a pair of main conductors extending generally parallel to the direction of the magnetic field and located on diametrically opposite sides of the cylindrical space, and a pair of connection conductors connected between respective ends of the main conductors. Each coil element has its maximum sensitivity near the centre of the cylindrical space, so that the subject under study is located in a region of maximum sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David Michael Doddrell, Stuart Crozier, Kurt Luescher, Wolfgang Udo Roffman
  • Publication number: 20080265891
    Abstract: To reduce high SAR values in the field of magnetic resonance imaging, and particularly with a body coil for an MRI apparatus, at least a bracket is added between the supporting tube of a body coil and the connecting copper sheet in order to raise the connecting copper sheet and the capacitors away from the human body. In addition to effectively solving the problem of a high SAR value, at the same time no significant loss of the imaging performance occurs. Moreover, the structure is simple, so the costs of modification or production are low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Jian Jun Du, Jian Hua Pei, Yao Xing
  • Patent number: 7439742
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance system and an operating method therefor, a number of independently operable radio frequency signal generator modules are provided or respectively connected to radio frequency coils. A control unit provides a synchronization signal to each of the radio frequency signal generator modules to selectively operate the modules to achieve different types of signal transmission. One of the radio frequency signal generator modules can serve as a master module, that receives the synchronization signal directly from the control unit, and supplies the synchronization signal to the other modules, functioning as slave modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Fontius, Rudi Baumgartl, Franz Schmitt, Georg Pirkl, Bernd Stoeckel
  • Publication number: 20080221433
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus for an object in change includes an MRI system having a computer, a first channel which produces images of the object in change using alternate lines of k-space applied along each of the two phase encoding directions. The computer combines the individual images into a composite 3D image of the object. The MRI system acquires alternate lines of temporally resolved data along each of the phase encoding directions, such that at any one time point at least 25% of full data are acquired. A method for imaging an object in change includes the steps of producing an individual image of the object in change with a first channel of an MRI system using alternate lines of k-space applied for each phase encoding direction. There is the step of producing an individual image of the object in change with at least a second channel of the MRI system independent of the first channel by acquiring alternate lines of temporally resolved data using alternate lines of k-space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventor: Mark Doyle
  • Patent number: 7423429
    Abstract: Diagnostic and Therapy apparatus and methods use non-ionizing radiations which are based on integration of nuclear magnetic resonance and radiation manipulation. Quantitative diagnostics integrate the following devices: manual control digital filter/selector (18), frequency matrix monitor (25), frequency image monitor (26), and control panel (28). Therapy integrates the following devices: resonating antenna for radio frequency (4), low radio frequency signal processor/modulator (10), radio frequency pulse amplifier (13) and central pulse control (16). Internal parameters of the emission, such as frequency, power and polarity are selectively manipulated to personalize the therapy and to significantly improve the levels of selectivity and/or differentiation of all the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventors: Lázaro Eusebio Hernández Pérez, José Luis Jorge De Moral Más
  • Patent number: 7423496
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a resonator with an adjustable capacitance for a medical device. In one embodiment, a resonator system includes a resonator device with an LC resonator circuit that has an adjustable capacitance, an inductor coil in series with the adjustable capacitance, and an adjustable capacitance control that can control the adjustable capacitance to obtain different particular capacitance values. This embodiment also includes a medical device, positioned with the resonator device, so that at least a portion of the inductor coil surrounds a space that is surrounded by at least a portion of the medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Torsten Scheuermann
  • Publication number: 20080214930
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fat saturation device to be used in conjunction with a magnetice resonance imaging (MRI) breast coil, which provides padding for the comfort of the patient being imaged while eliminating the skin-air interface, thereby reducing the level of artefacts in the image. The device comprises a coil surface pad that contacts the surface of the coil, the pad having apertures therein through which the patients breasts extend when the patient is positioned on the coil for imaging. Aperture sleeves that are removable or retractable extend from the bottom surface of the coil surface into the apertures of the breast coil. The device comprises a fat saturation material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Lauren BRASILE
  • Publication number: 20080211502
    Abstract: In a method for coil selection of a magnetic resonance apparatus, a determination of coil positions of the multiple coil devices of the magnetic resonance apparatus is made and a determination is also made of a number of coil groups, wherein a coil group is composed of at least one coil device. One or more coil groups is associated with positions of the support device, and the coil group that is associated with a position of the support device includes the coil devices that are suitable for use in that associated position of the support device. A control of one of the multiple coil groups dependent on the position of the support device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Arnold, Swen Campagna
  • Publication number: 20080204021
    Abstract: A radio frequency apparatus for at least one of (i) receiving and (ii) exciting a magnetic resonance signal includes an item of clothing (102, 202). The item of clothing includes one or more layers (110, 112, 120, 122, 300, 402) that are stretchable to comport with differently sized and shaped imaging subjects. A plurality of radio frequency coils (104, 114, 204, 206, 208, 302, 404) are attached to one or more layers of the item of clothing. The coils are relatively movable with respect to one another responsive to stretching of the stretchable item of clothing. The one or more layers of the item of clothing include an anti-microbial agent (92, 92?, 94?) disposed on or incorporated into at least one layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Christoph G. Leussler, Ingmar Graesslin, Hans Buurman, John T. Carlon
  • Patent number: 7417435
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus wherein a homogenous magnetization is generated in a spatial examination volume of the apparatus during examination of a subject, individual resonator segments of a body coil, that are electromagnetically decoupled from each other, are separately activated by a control and evaluation device according to sets of predetermined segment-specific excitation parameters stored in the control and evaluation device. The resonator segments are temporally sequentially excited in an excitation sequence, using different excitation parameter sets with phase distributions of the nuclear magnetization distributions in the examination volume constructively superimposing to form a resulting homogenous entire nuclear magnetization distribution in the examination volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Publication number: 20080186026
    Abstract: A radio frequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging includes an active coil member (70, 701, 170, 270) that defines an imaging volume. The active coil member has a first open end (74) with a first cross-sectional dimension (dactive). A shield coil member (72, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 172, 1722, 272) substantially surrounds the active coil member. The shield coil member has a constricted open end (88) arranged proximate to the first open end of the active coil member with a constricted cross-sectional dimension (dconst) that is less than the cross-sectional dimension (dShieid) of the shield coil member In some embodiments, the radio frequency coil further includes an outer shield coil member (100) that is substantially larger than the shield coil member (72, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 172, 1722, 272), and surrounds both the active coil member and the shield coil member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N. V.
    Inventors: Christoph G. Leussler, Kai-Michael Luedeke, Michael A. Morich, Zhiyong Zhai, Gordon D. DeMeester
  • Patent number: 7408351
    Abstract: An RF coil which can restrain coupling while enhancing the freedom of design and arrangement of coils is to be provided. The RF coil unit of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provided with a central coil surrounding a subject around its body axis, an auxiliary coil disposed toward one end of the central coil and having first loop units mutually opposed with the body axis in-between, and another auxiliary coil disposed toward the other end of the central coil and having second loop units mutually opposed with the body axis in-between, wherein one of the first loop unit and one of the second loop unit are arranged to be on mutually reverse sides with respect to the body axis and so connected that the directions of currents resulting from increases in magnetic fluxes in the same direction are in mutually reverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Masaru Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7394256
    Abstract: Two halves of a separable wrist coil provide a coil volume closely conforming to a patient's hand yet separable for insertion and removal of the hand. The halves are hinged allowing easy one-handed operation of the coil in which an operator may stabilize the patient's hand within a propositioned coil with one hand while closing the coil and locking it in position with the other. Detents and a manual lock assist in this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Schubert, John M. Procarione, Ashok Menon
  • Patent number: 7391213
    Abstract: A radio frequency coil assembly for use in a magnetic resonance system comprises a set of conductors for detecting magnetic resonance signals in three orthogonal planes and capacitors for resonating the set of conductors at a predetermined frequency. A conductor of the set of conductors is placed on each edge of a cube-shaped volume and the capacitors are placed on each conductor of the set of conductors such that each conductor has substantially equal effective capacitance. A four element band pass birdcage coil comprises two square end ring segments, each end ring segment comprising four sides of equal length, and four rungs of length equal to a side of the end ring segment, and wherein four rungs join in respective corners of the end ring segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Watkins, Charles Dumoulin, Randy Giaquinto
  • Patent number: 7388377
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for improving the performance of a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system by reducing the coupling between one or more excitation coils that provide a radio frequency magnetic field that excites quadrupole nuclei, and one or more high temperature superconductor receive coils that detect the resulting nuclear quadrupole resonance signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robby L. Alvarez, Daniel B. Laubacher, Charles Wilker
  • Patent number: 7386338
    Abstract: An assembly of RF coils for bilateral imaging of a first and a second breast of the same person is disclosed. The assembly includes a first pair of coils having a first coil juxtaposed and underlapping a second coil, thereby defining juxtaposed edges of the first and second coils, and a second pair of coils having a third coil juxtaposed and underlapping a fourth coil, thereby defining juxtaposed edges of the third and fourth coils. The first coil has a first opening for receiving the first breast, the second coil has a second opening for receiving the second breast, the third coil substantially opposes the first coil, defining therebetween a first region for receiving the first breast, and the fourth coil substantially opposes the second coil, defining therebetween a second region for receiving the second breast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernice E. Hoppel, LeRoy R. Blawat, John Lorbiecki, Cynthia F. Maier, Elisabeth Carol Angelos, Eddy Benjamin Boskamp
  • Patent number: 7382130
    Abstract: A planar irradiating coil including a first ring conductor, a second ring conductor having a smaller diameter than that of the first ring conductor, and a plurality of first line conductors that connects the first ring conductor and the second ring conductor, is provided with means for causing the irradiation pulse to be more uniform. That is, in order to make the irradiation pulse more uniform, it is necessary to disperse the operating voltage or to diverge the irradiation current. Therefore, the irradiating coil is provided with a plurality of resonant capacitance elements on the first ring conductor between its connections with the first line conductors, or it is provided with second line conductors, that are connected to the first line conductors, and third line conductors, that connect each end of the second line conductors with the second ring conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Miyauchi, Shizuka Nagai, Atsushi Ohta
  • Patent number: 7375527
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus in embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: (a) a coil having at least two sections, (b) the at least two sections having a resonant circuit, (c) the at least two sections being wirelessly coupled or decoupled, (d) the at least two sections being separable, (e) several openings allowing a subject to see and be accessed through the coil, (f) at least one cushioned head restraint, and (g) a subject input/output device providing visual data from in front and behind of the coil respectively; wherein the input/output device is selected from the group consisting of mirrors, prisms, video monitors, LCD devices, and optical motion trackers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: MR Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: John Thomas Vaughan, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080097191
    Abstract: The present technique provides a novel method and apparatus for magnetic resonance device tracking. In one aspect of the present technique, a plurality of magnetic resonance tracking signals are acquired in response to a corresponding plurality of pulse sequences, wherein the plurality of magnetic resonance tracking signals are acquired from a tracking coil mounted in a device. A location value is also determined for each pulse sequence to produce a plurality of location values. Further, a candidate location value of the plurality of location values for replacement, an off-resonance error value for the plurality of magnetic resonance tracking signals, and a replacement location value based on the off-resonance error value are determined. The location of the device is also determined based on the plurality of location values, wherein the candidate location value was replaced in the plurality of location values with the replacement location value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Charles Dumoulin, Renee Guhde
  • Patent number: 7333849
    Abstract: A vertical field MRI RF coil array for neurovascular imaging includes a head section having a solenoid coil element and a quadrature coil element; a neck section having a solenoid coil element and a quadrature coil element; and a chest section having a solenoid coil element and a quadrature coil element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sunyu Su, Mark Xueming Zou, Jeff Kitzmiller
  • Patent number: 7328055
    Abstract: The present invention provides a patient support apparatus for use during a medical procedure. The patient support apparatus is configured to receive and support a body of a patient on a base member. The base member includes a top surface having a plurality of adjustable members, wherein each of the adjustable members is configured to support a different portion the body of the patient. A plurality of actuation mechanisms are operably connected to both the base member and one each of the plurality of adjustable members, such that each of the plurality of adjustable members is separately, selectively positionable with respect to the base member. A control device operably connected to the actuation mechanism to selectively control the position of each of the adjustable members and the corresponding body portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Marctec, LLC
    Inventor: Peter M. Bonutti
  • Publication number: 20070270683
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a head restraint kit for use with a medical head device for immobilizing the head of a patient in medical research, diagnosis and operation. The head restraint kit is particularly suitable for use with a head coil for magnetic resonance imaging. The head restraint kit contains a head rest pillow for providing support to the head of a patient, a neck cushion for providing neck support, and one or more wedge cushions for providing further support for the head. The head restraint kit may also contain one or more compact square cushions which can be inserted into a space between the head and the medical head device for additional head support. The head restraint kit may further contain a cloth strap placed over the forehead of a patient for protecting and securing the head against movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventor: Mary Jane Meloy
  • Patent number: 7279898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radio-frequent (RF) coil system (17, 17?) for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The RF coil system comprises at least one main coil (35) for transmitting an RF magnetic field (B1) into and/or receiving an RF magnetic field (B1?) from an examination volume (3) of the MRI system. The main coil has a main coil axis (37), which is or is to be oriented parallel to a main magnetic field (B0) in the examination volume, and at least one electrical conductor (39, 41) which extends mainly parallel to the main coil axis. According to the invention, the RF coil system comprises at least two electrical auxiliary coils (51, 53, 55, 57) which are assigned to said conductor of the main coil. The auxiliary coils are arranged on opposite sides of said conductor of the main coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Robert Paul Kleihorst, Jan Bertus Marten Warntjes
  • Patent number: 7266406
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance apparatus, the transmission coil for generating the radiofrequency excitation field is stationarily arranged. The geometry of the transmission coil is permanently prescribed. For acquiring the magnetic resonance signal, the reception arrangement includes at least one first local coil. This is secured to a movable carrier, so that it can be placed against the person from a remote position. The carrier is secured in a carrier mount arranged stationarily within the examination volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Horst Kroeckel
  • Patent number: 7259562
    Abstract: An array coil to achieve more uniform RF excitation for high field magnetic resonance imaging. In the preferred embodiment, the array coil has a plurality of transmit-composite elements distributed around the object to be imaged. A composite element comprises up to three current loops preferably orthogonal to each another. The array coil has the capability to shape the distribution of all three orthogonal components (x, y, and z) of the RF B1 field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Baylor College of Medicine
    Inventors: Zhiyue J. Wang, Dah-Jyuu Wang
  • Patent number: 7253622
    Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention can utilize a single coil structure for dual-mode operation. In a specific embodiment, a single coil structure can be used as a volume coil in the transmitting phase and as a phase array in the receiving phase. In an embodiment, a transmit coil array in accordance with the subject invention can be utilized for one or more of the following: 1) parallel RF excitation on an MRI scanner equipped with a multiple-channel transmitter; 2) serial RF excitation with the use of a switch system with a single channel transmitter; and 3) generation of a homogeneous B1 field for regular MRI with the use of a power splitter on a standard scanner. In a specific embodiment, the use of a concentric double loop coil with different tunings of inner and outer loops can be implemented. In an embodiment, the coil elements can be decoupled using the CRC mode of a concentric double loop coil. In an embodiment, a surface coil transmit array can provide better compatibility with a receive array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Invivo Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Saylor, Yu Li
  • Patent number: 7254435
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus wherein magnetic resonance signals are simultaneously received from an examination subject by multiple reception coils, a single, uninterrupted pulse sequence is executed which includes reference scans of the subject with a first sequence kernel that is optimized for coil sensitivity calibration, immediately followed by a series of accelerated image scans with a second sequence kernel, different from the first sequence kernel, that is optimized for imaging. Coil sensitivity maps for the respective coils are calculated from the data acquired in the reference scans, and an image of the subject is reconstructed by operating on the image data with a parallel reconstruction algorithm employing the calculated coil sensitivity maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Qiang Zhang, Jiamin Wang, Orlando Simonetti, Gerhard Laub, Berthold Kiefer
  • Patent number: 7253621
    Abstract: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems including a coil system and methods for controlling the coil system are described. A described system includes a coil system for MRI. The coil system includes a local volume coil configured to transmit and receive MRI signals and an array of surface coils configured to receive MRI signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Phillip Edward Steen, Ceylan Celil Guclu, Tsinghua Zheng
  • Patent number: 7251521
    Abstract: A motion sensing MRI coil allows correction of motion-induced image artifacts by the MRI machine or on a machine independent basis using correction circuitry associated with the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: IGC Medical Advances, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Seeber
  • Patent number: 7251520
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to slice selective magnetization preparation for moving table MRI. The present invention includes a method of magnetization preparation that takes into account patient movement or translation during the imaging process. The present invention adjusts or modifies the frequency at which magnetization preparation pulses are applied to offset the preparation pulse in space. This allows preparation pulses to be interleaved with imaging and enables magnetization preparation without sacrificing other imaging variables or parameters defined for the particular MR study. As such, contrast within a reconstructed image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajit Shankaranarayanan, Jean H. Brittain
  • Patent number: 7230428
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus imaging a subject on the basis of a magnetic resonance signal radiated from the subject in a static magnetic field, includes a radio frequency coil which receives the magnetic resonance signal and has a direction dependency on a flux direction of the static magnetic field, and a support member which rotatably supports the radio frequency coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Ishii
  • Patent number: 7227361
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus acquires magnetic resonance signals by the PI method using an RF coil unit having basic coils serving as surface coils which are arrayed with at least two coils along a static magnetic field direction (Z direction) and and at least two coils along each of two orthogonal x, y directions. The coils are divided into an upper unit and a lower unit. The upper unit and lower unit are fixed by a band or the like to allow them to be mounted on an object to be examined. The signals detected by the respective surface coils are sent to a data processing system through independent receiver unit and formed into a magnetic resonance image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuya Okamoto, Yoshinori Hamamura, Yoshio Machida
  • Patent number: 7221974
    Abstract: A MRI RF coil array is formed from a first coil having a null B1 point and a quasi-one-peak sensitivity profile, and a second coil oriented with respect to the first coil to reduce coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sunyu Su, Mark Xueming Zou, Joseph Murphy-Boesch
  • Patent number: 7197353
    Abstract: A sensitivity encoding method (SENSE) is used to acquire an MR image having a reduced field of view. The number of aliased replicates caused by surrounding object boundaries is calculated for each image pixel location to obtain optimal aliasing artifact suppression without reducing image SNR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin F. King, Lisa C. Angelos
  • Patent number: 7177671
    Abstract: For the purpose of providing an RF coil that enables satisfactory imaging of the prostate, the RF coil is composed of a first saddle coil and a second saddle coil. The first saddle coil has two loop portions opposed to each other so that they can sandwich the inferior abdomen of a human body antero-posteriorly. The second saddle coil has two loop portions opposed to each other so that they will permit insertion of the inferior limbs of a human body thereinto and can sandwich the inferior abdomen thereof laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Akira Nabetani
  • Patent number: 7171254
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of improved homogeneity whereby at least a portion of an RF coil is filled with homogeneity enhancing material. Disposing the homogeneity enhancing material, such as perfluorocarbon, within the RF coil, implementation of thick saturation pads may be avoided altogether or thinner pads may be used to fill any voids between the patient and the coil. The present invention is particularly useful in a CTL coil assembly for acquiring diagnostic data of the neck region of a patient. However, the advantages achieved by the present invention may be incorporated into other surface coils for other anatomical regions where control of the susceptibility is desired. Additionally, the homogeneity enhancing material also acts as a heat sink for any hot spots on the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Vavrek, Ceylan C. Guclu, Phillip E. Steen
  • Patent number: 7133713
    Abstract: The imaging system can comprise a plurality of elongated rails, a scanhead assembly, and a small animal mount assembly. The scanhead assembly is selectively mounted onto a first rail and is constructed and arranged for movement in a linear bi-directional manner along the longitudinal axis of the first rail. The small-animal mount assembly is selectively mounted onto a second rail and is constructed and arranged for movement in a linear bi-directional manner along the longitudinal axis of the second rail. The second rail being mounted relative to the first rail such that the longitudinal axis of the second rail is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the first rail. The imaging system can also comprise a needle injection assembly that is selectively mounted onto the third rail and is constructed and arranged for movement in a linear bi-directional manner along the longitudinal axis of the third rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: VisualSonics Inc.
    Inventor: Leo Zan
  • Patent number: 7119541
    Abstract: A multiply-tuned volume resonator comprises a generally cylindrical birdcage comprising a pair of end rings and generally parallel column elements bridging the end rings at generally equal circumferentially spaced locations. The column elements carry at least two distinct-valued, alternating impedance components. A plurality of capacitors is disposed on the end rings. Each capacitor is positioned between a pair of adjacent column elements. The capacitors on the end rings are tuned to the resonant frequency associated with a low frequency paramagnetic nuclei and the impedance components on the column elements are tuned to the resonant frequency associated with at least one high frequency paramagnetic nuclei. Direct drives are provided for high frequency and low frequency sections of the volume resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: XLR Imaging Inc.
    Inventor: Enzo Barberi
  • Patent number: 7109713
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus acquires magnetic resonance signals by the PI method using an RF coil unit having basic coils serving as surface coils which are arrayed with at least two coils along a static magnetic field direction (z direction) and at least two coils along each of two orthogonal x, y directions. The coils are divided into an upper unit and a lower unit. The upper unit and lower unit are fixed by a band or the like to allow them to be mounted on an object to be examined. The signals detected by the respective surface coils are sent to a data processing system through independent receiver units and formed into a magnetic resonance image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuya Okamoto, Yoshinori Hamamura, Yoshio Machida
  • Patent number: 7106062
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device and a method of imaging a volume of interest is provided. According to one aspect of the present technique, the MRI device includes an attachment portion having a profile at least partially defined by a cross-section thereof, and an array of radio-frequency coils arranged with respect to each other to generally correspond to the profile. In an exemplary embodiment, each coil may have a first turn portion located radially closer to the attachment portion than a second turn portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Judson Hardy, Kenneth William Rohling, Jason Scott Pelc