Abstract: The disclosure relates to a receiving unit configured for acquiring MR signals from an examination object in a magnetic resonance device. The receiving unit may include a detector unit comprising a light source and a first optical detector, a sensor unit comprising a first optical magnetometer, a first optical waveguide connecting the sensor unit to the light source, and a second optical waveguide connecting the sensor unit to the first optical detector.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The systems may include a gradient coil assembly configured to form a gradient magnetic field. The systems may also include a cryostat including a superconducting coil assembly and a magnetic field shielding apparatus arranged on/in a component of the cryostat. The superconducting coil assembly may be configured to form a main magnetic field. The magnetic field shielding apparatus may be configured to shield the superconducting coil assembly from a stray field of the gradient coil assembly. The magnetic field shielding apparatus may include a conductive shielding component, a shielding cylinder, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A supine torso radio frequency (RF) coil assembly for a magnetic resonance (MR) system is provided. The RF coil assembly includes an RF coil array and a lining. The RF coil array includes a plurality of RF coils each RF coil including a coil loop that includes a wire conductor, the wire conductor formed into the coil loop and a coupling electronics portion coupled to the coil loop. The plurality of RF coils form into a contoured portion, the contoured portion sized to receive at least part of a breast of a subject therein. The lining includes a contoured portion. The RF coil array is coupled to and distributed on the lining, the contoured portion of the RF coil array covering and conforming with the contoured portion of the lining.

Abstract: A transport member includes a shaft and plural blades that extend around the shaft so as to transport a target object that is to be transported and that is present around the plural blades in a direction in which the shaft extends by rotating with the shaft, the plural blades extending in at least a region of the transport member in the direction in which the shaft extends in such a manner that the plural blades are sequentially out of phase with one another in a direction in which the plural blades rotate. The at least a portion in the direction in which the shaft extends has flexibility.

Abstract: Techniques for suppressing noise in an environment of a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system having at least one primary coil and at least one auxiliary sensor. The techniques involve estimating a transform, that, when applied to noise received by the at least one auxiliary sensor, provides an estimate of noise received by the at least one primary coil. The transform is estimated from data obtained by the at least one primary coil and the least one auxiliary sensor, with the data being weighted prior to estimation to remove or suppress data in regions with a high signal to noise ratio. In turn, the estimated transform may be applied to noise measured by the at least one auxiliary sensor during imaging of a patient, to estimate and suppress noise present in the MR signals received by the at least one primary coil during imaging.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hybrid orthogonal signal generator, a coil transmission front-end device, an RF coil system, and an MRI system. The hybrid orthogonal signal generator has an input end for receiving an RF signal, generates a hybrid orthogonal excitation signal on the basis of the RF signal, and provides the hybrid orthogonal excitation signal by means of an output end of the hybrid orthogonal signal generator, and comprises: a first conductor, arranged in a plane and being arc-shaped; and a second conductor having mutual inductance with the first conductor, the second conductor being connected between the input end and output end, wherein the first conductor and second conductor are parallel and arranged as mirror images of each other. The hybrid orthogonal signal generator has a compact size and is suitable for providing hybrid orthogonal excitation signals for an MRI system with a low field strength.

Abstract: A superconducting magnet assembly with a reinforced coil region (3) having a layered conductor coil assembly (10) forming cylindrical conductor layers (11, . . . ), each having plural circular conductor turns (12) centered around and aligned along the axis of cylindrical symmetry (z). The reinforced coil region further includes a layered corset coil assembly (20) having an inner radius bigger than an outer radius of the layered conductor coil assembly (10), and a corset sheet assembly (30) including a foil element forming a corset sheet (31, . . . ). A cross section of the corset sheet with any plane perpendicular to the z-axis forms a segmented circle centered around the z-axis, the radius of which is bigger than that of one of the conductor layers and smaller than that of another of the conductor layers. In addition, the segmented circle covers at least 90% of a full circle but has at most four segments. The assembly provides mechanical reinforcement against radial magnetic forces.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a superconducting magnet assembly with a superconducting field coil for generating a stationary uniform main magnetic field. A gradient system includes a gradient coil for generating gradient magnetic fields and a gradient amplifier which is connectable to the gradient coil for driving the gradient coil. A switch assembly is adapted for galvanically coupling the superconducting field coil to the gradient amplifier. In this way, it is possible for energizing and discharging a superconducting magnet of an MRI system in an easy and cost-efficient way.

Abstract: Provided in the present invention are a power control apparatus for a radio-frequency power amplifier and a radio-frequency transmission system for a magnetic resonance imaging system. The power control apparatus comprises: a power control module used to receive a control voltage so as to control an output power of the radio-frequency power amplifier; a voltage detection module used to detect an operating voltage provided to the radio-frequency power amplifier and to output a detected voltage; and a voltage adjustment module used to adjust, on the basis of the detected voltage, the control voltage received by the power control module so as to adjust the output power of the radio-frequency power amplifier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for magnetic measurements and/or magnetic imaging such as an MRI device or a hybrid MEG-MRI device. The device comprises an array of one or more detectors for the magnetic signal and one or more coils for producing preparatory magnetic field pulses. The device further comprises means to drive current pulses through the said coils, wherein at least one of the coils comprises material that is Type-II superconducting at the operating temperature. The device is configured to cancel out at least part of the field generated by the remanent magnetization after a current pulse by the shape of the current pulse and/or the geometrically balanced design of the coil.

Abstract: A flexible resonant trap circuit is provided that includes a transmission line arranged to include a helical winding that has a first helical winding segment and a second helical winding segment; and a capacitor coupled between the first and second helical winding segments.

Abstract: In a method for performing a magnetic resonance measurement of an organ structure of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging system adapted to the imaging of the organ structure: a correct positioning of the organ structure of the patient is ascertained, a correct positioning of the magnetic resonance imaging system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient is ascertained, a magnetic resonance scanning protocol is selected, a spatial coverage of the magnetic resonance measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged is adjusted, and the magnetic resonance measurement is performed to acquire magnetic resonance image data of the organ structure.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for improving uniformity of RF magnetic field in an MRI system, and thereby improving both signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of imaging sensitivity across a sampling volume, to provide more uniform MRI images. A passive LC resonator develops induced EMF and induced currents in a primary RF magnetic field; the secondary magnetic field produced thereby can counteract magnetic field amplitude gradients to produce a more homogeneous RF magnetic field. In systems with separate transmit and receive coils, a shunt detuning circuit is pulsed ON to prevent interference during the transmit period. In a dual-frequency MRI machine (e.g. 19F and 1H), the RF magnetic field at the lower operating frequency can be homogenized by tuning the resonance of the passive resonator between the two operating frequencies. Another resonator can improve RF field uniformity at the higher operating frequency. Variants and experimental results are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil assembly. The MRI RF coil assembly may include one or more coils and one or more control circuits. Each of the one or more coils may include a first end and a second end. Each of the one or more control circuits may electrically connect the first end and the second end of one of the one or more coil. Each of the one or more control circuits may be configured to adjust an operation of the coil that is electrically connected with the control circuit based on an input control signal. The one or more control circuits may be located at different regions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for the selection of one or more measuring coils in magnetic resonance imaging. Herein, account can be taken of a preselection in the selection of the one or more measuring coils from a plurality of candidate coils.

Abstract: A T1-T2* measurement which permits speciation of different components with restricted mobility in samples where a T1-T2 measurement is impossible is disclosed. Tracking the T1-T2* coordinate, and associated signal intensity changes, can reveal additional structural and/or dynamic information such as phase changes in rigid/semi-rigid biopolymer samples or pore level changes in morphology of the water environments in cement-based materials. In another aspect, the T1-T2* measurement may also be employed to discriminate composition in solid mixtures, a very significant analytical problem in industry. In a further aspect, the T1-T2* measurement has particular value in permitting a simple assignment of T1 to different T2* populations.

Abstract: A sample chamber holder for MAS-NMR capable of operating at both low and high pressures. In one example the sample chamber holder is made up of a sample holder body defining a sample chamber therein, a connector configured to operatively statically hold an in situ rotor within the sample chamber; a coupler configured to operatively connect the sampler holder body to a magnetically coupled rotation member. The magnetically coupled rotation member is configured to engage and rotate a sealing cap from an NMR rotor in such a way so as to allow an NMR cap to be alternatively opened or sealed in-situ while the NMR rotor remains statically positioned in an NMR device.

Abstract: In a medical imaging auto-calibrated reconstruction method, an imaging scan is performed using a data acquisition scanner to generate image data, calibration data having a uniform sampling is determined, a point-spread function is determined based on the calibration data, and an image is reconstructed from the image data based on the point-spread function. A central region of k-space may have uniform sampling. The calibration data may be determined by extracting a uniformly-sampled central region of k-space from the image data. An outer region of k-space may have non-uniform sampling. A calibration scan may be performed to generate the calibration data.

Abstract: A perfusion chamber for use in a phantom includes a waterproof housing containing a porous material defining fluid paths between pores and tubular channels within the porous material. A reservoir for use in a phantom, a pump mechanism for use within the bore of an MRI scanner, a phantom for use in an MRI scanner, and a method for calibrating a scanning device are disclosed. Also disclosed is apparatus for validating images of a phantom that includes: one or more sensors for coupling to a phantom to be imaged; a control/logging system configured to: collect sensor data during imaging of the phantom and pass this as input to a computer model; compare the image data with reference image data produced using the computer model; and return a pass score depending on the comparison. A system and method for verifying images of a phantom are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for performing accelerated k-space shift correction calibration scans for non-Cartesian trajectories is provided. The method can include applying an MRI sequence, performing a calibration scan based on the MRI sequence using the non-Cartesian trajectory to acquire k-space shift data, wherein one or more partitions are skipped during the calibration scan, interpolating the skipped one or more partitions using the k-space shift data from adjacent partitions, and calibrating the MRI system using the k-space shift data and the interpolated k-space shift data. In some embodiments, an acceleration factor Acc can be defined and the calibration scan acquires k-space shift data for only one partition in every Acc partitions.