Abstract: A multichannel radio frequency (RF) receive/transmit system (200) for use in an magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110) includes an RF coil array (202) with multiple RF coil elements (204) for emission and reception of RF signals. Each RF coil element (204) is provided with a tuning/matching circuit (208) for comparing forward power provided to at least one of the RF coil elements (204) with reflected power at the respective RF coil element (204) of the at least one of the RF coil elements (204), and for tuning the at least one of the RF coil elements (204) based on a comparison of the forward power and the reflected power at least one of the RF coil elements (204). A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110) which includes the multichannel RF receive/transmit system (200) performs magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Abstract: An radio frequency (RF) transmit module for a magnetic resonance examination system includes a local field monitoring unit that measures a field emitted by an RF transmission element and generates a pick-up coil signal (puc-signal). The puc-signal is amplified and frequency-down-converted by mixing with an oscillator signal. The frequency-down-converted puc-signal and the RF drive signal for the RF transmission element are transferred over a common signal lead. The oscillator signal may also be transferred over the common signal lead.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) comprising at least one magnetic resonance radio frequency antenna device (30) and at least one metal detector unit (38) for detecting metal within the subject of interest (20) including at least one metal detector coil (40), wherein the at least one magnetic resonance radio frequency antenna device (30) and the at least one metal detector coil (40) mechanically or electrically or spatially form an integral unit (34); and a method of operating, with regard to detecting metal-comprising implants (36) and selecting magnetic resonance pulse sequences, such magnetic resonance imaging system (10).

Abstract: The invention provides for a system (200) for generation of a radio frequency, RF, excitation signal for excitation of nuclei via an RF excitation coil (114) in a magnetic resonance system (100). The system comprises power generation units (203-206) each comprising a synthesizer (211-214), an RF amplifier (231-234), and a first feedback loop (251-254) unit adapted to configure the synthesizer to generate an RF signal which after amplification by the RF amplifier has a predefined first signal characteristic and a combiner (261) adapted for combining the RF signals amplified by the RF amplifiers for obtaining the RF excitation signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to inductively feeding a RF coil (9) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and in particular to a system comprising a RF coil (9) for magnetic resonance imaging and at least one feeding coil (14) for inductively feeding the RF coil (9) with an RF signal, and further to a method for inductively feeding a RF coil (9) for magnetic resonance imaging with at least one RF signal. According to the invention, in this system, the at least one feeding coil (14) is configured and arranged for feeding the RF signal into a conductive coil element (10) of the RF coil (9) at a first position and at a second position, the first position being different from the second position, wherein the direction of the magnetic field of the RF signal at the first position is different from the magnetic field of the RF signal at the second position. In this way, the invention provides for an inductive RF feeding of a resonator which can be achieved in a compensated way, i.e.

Abstract: An electrosurgical ablation apparatus for generating and emitting electromagnetic radiation energy for ablating biological tissue is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an operating unit (1), a handheld applicator unit (3) with an applicator antenna (4) and a cable connection (2) between both. The applicator antenna (4) is a dual or multi-resonant ablation antenna (41a, . . . 41d) for transmitting microwave ablation energy at at least two different frequencies which are selected especially according to the electrical properties and dimensions of the tissue to be ablated.

Abstract: A dual- or multi-resonant RF/MR transmit and/or receive antenna (1, 2) especially in the form of a planar antenna or a volume array antenna (also called antenna array) is used for MR image generation of at least two different nuclei like e.g. 1H, 19F, 3He, 13C, 23Na or other nuclei having different Larmor frequencies. The antenna is coupled by an inductive coupling device (LI) with related transmit/receive channels (T/R). By such an inductive coupling, the tuning and matching of the antenna at the different resonant frequencies is easier than in case of a galvanic connection. The dual- or multi-resonant RF/MR transmit and/or receive antenna is used in an MR imaging apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a radio frequency (RF) shield device (124) for a magnetic resonance (MR) examination system (110), whereby the RF shield device (124) comprises a first shield (250) and a second shield (252), the first shield (250) and the second shield (252) are arranged with a common center axis (118), the first shield (250) has a shield structure (254) different from a shield structure (254) of the second shield (252), and the first shield (250) and the second shield (252) are designed in accordance with different modes of operation of a RF coil device (140).

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. It concerns an oscillation applicator for MR rheology. It is an object of the invention to provide an oscillation applicator without restrictions regarding the usability for certain body regions. According to the invention, the oscillation applicator comprises at least one transducer which generates a reciprocating motion at a given frequency and a belt (19) mechanically coupled to the transducer, which belt (19) is designed to be wrapped around a patient's body (10). Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device (1) and to a method of MR imaging.

Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100, 200). The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnet assembly (102) for generating a main magnetic field within an imaging zone (108). The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a magnetic field gradient coil assembly (110) for generating a spatial gradient magnetic field within the imaging zone. The magnetic field gradient coil assembly comprises at least one structural support (122). Each of the at least one structural support comprises at least one coil element (500). The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a gradient coil power supply (112) for supplying current to the magnetic field gradient coil assembly. The gradient coil power supply is a switched mode power supply. The gradient coil power supply comprises a switch unit (126) for each of the at least one coil element. The gradient coil power supply further comprises a current charger (128) for supplying current to each switch unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal treatment applicator (19) for the deposition of thermal energy within tissue of a body (10) of a patient. The applicator (19), comprises: a plurality of RF antennae (20) for radiating a RF electromagnetic field toward the body (10); —a plurality of RF power amplifiers (21) supplying RF signals to the RF antennae (20), wherein each RF power amplifier (21) comprises a transistor and an output matching network (22) transforming the output impedance of the transistor into a low impedance value. Moreover, the invention relates to a MR imaging guided therapy system (1).

Abstract: The present invention provides a radio frequency (RF) coil (140) for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110), whereby the RF coil (140) comprises a coil PCB (200), multiple conductive elements (202) provided on the coil PCB (200), multiple feeding ports (210) for the excitation of the multiple conductive elements (202), at least one connection port (212), and multiple feeding lines (214) connecting the at least one connection port (212) to the multiple feeding ports (210), whereby the multiple feeding lines (214) are provided as co-planar feeding lines, which are arranged at the coil PCB (200). The present invention further provides a radio frequency (RF) arrangement (142), comprising a RF coil (140) as specified above and a RF shield (124). The present invention also provides a MR imaging system (110) comprising the above RF coil (140) of the above RF arrangement (142).

Abstract: A transverse-electromagnetic (TEM) radio-frequency coil (1) for a magnetic resonance system, especially for a magnetic resonance imaging system, includes a coil (1) in which at least one of the opposite end regions of the elongate strip section (4) of each TEM coil element (2) has a lateral extension (6) transverse to a longitudinal extent of the strip section (4). These lateral extensions (6) combine with strip sections (4) to form L- or U-shaped TEM coil elements (2) and provide ‘ring-like’ current contributions resulting in a reduction of the z-sensitivity compared with a conventional TEM coil. The result is a coil array having TEM coil elements (2) that provide smaller sensitivity profiles in the z-direction, yet preserve the characteristics of a well-defined RF ground, e.g. via an RF shield or screen (3). The reduced field of view in z-direction not only reduces noise reception but also reduces the SAR generated in those regions during transmission.

Abstract: The invention concerns to a radio frequency (RF) body coil (2), for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system, comprising: an RF shield (6), an RF coil element (8), distantly arranged from the RF shield (6), and at least one distance setting element (10), arranged and designed in such a way that the relative distance (12) between the RF shield (6) and the RF coil element (8) is adjustable via the distance setting element (10) which may lead to locally deforming the RF coil element (8) and/or the RF shield (6). Thus, a radio frequency coil for use in an Magnetic Resonance Imaging system is provided that can be tuned to desired resonances in a comfortable and economic way.

Abstract: An RF antenna system (100, 1014, 1014?) transmits RF excitation signals into and/or receives MR signals from an MR imaging system's (1000, 1100, 1200) imaging volume (1015). The magnetic resonance imaging antenna includes a coil former (100, 1014, 1014?) adjacent to the imaging volume (1015); and a resonator (400, 500, 600) attached to the coil former and tuned to at least one resonant frequency formed from electrical connections (304), between multiple capacitors (302). The multiple capacitors are distributed in a periodic pattern (300, 700, 800, 900) about and along the coil former.

Abstract: A transmit and/or receive coil assembly includes a first and second exchangeable part configured for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals. The exchangeable parts are exchangeable with each other and configured to co-operate with a permanent part of the transmit and/or receive coil assembly during magnetic resonance imaging in order to generate an RF (or B1+) field that covers a volume of interest of the object to be scanned and/or to receive magnetic resonance signals from the volume of interest of the object.

Abstract: An radio frequency (RF) transmit module for a magnetic resonance examination system is disclosed. The local field monitoring unit measures the field emitted by an RF transmission element and generates a puc-signal. The puc-signal is amplified and frequency-down-converted by mixing with an oscillator signal. The frequency-down-converted puc-signal and the RF drive signal for the RF transmission element as transferred over the common signal lead. The oscillator signal may also be transferred over the common signal lead.

Abstract: The present invention provides a receive coil unit (140) comprising a receive coil array (142) for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system (110) with multiple antenna units (144) sensitive to magnetic resonance signals, i.e. antenna units (144) sensitive to B-field signals, whereby each antenna unit (144) comprises a coil element (146) sensitive to B-field signals, and each antenna unit (144) comprises an E-field antenna (148) sensitive to E-field signals. The present invention also provides a magnetic resonance imaging system (110) comprising a receive coil unit (140) with a receive coil array (142) having multiple antenna units (144) sensitive to magnetic resonance signals, i.e. antenna units (144) sensitive to B-field signals, whereby the receive coil unit (140) is provided as a receive coil unit (140) as specified above.

Abstract: The invention relates to an amplifier device (14) adapted for an antenna-like transducer for MRI applications, especially for an RF coil, wherein the amplifier device (14) comprises at least one amplifier channel (16) including: an input connection device (18) for connecting an RF signal source (12); an output connection device (20) for connecting the antenna-like RF transducer; an RF amplifier unit (22); and an impedance matching circuit (24) configured to adapt the coupling of the RF amplifier unit (22) to the actually connected antenna-like RF transducer with regard to an actual load of the amplifier device (14), which load results from the combination of the antenna-like RF transducer and a person or sample interacting with the antenna-like RF transducer, wherein the impedance matching circuit (24) establishes an electric line (34) between the RF amplifier unit (22) and the antenna-like transducer with an adjustable line length. The invention further relates to the corresponding MRI apparatus.

Abstract: A handheld oscillation applicator (40) for use in a magnetic resonance rheology imaging system (10), for applying mechanical oscillations to at least a portion of a subject of interest (20), the handheld oscillation applicator (40) comprising a housing (54), at least one transducer unit (48) configured to output mechanical energy, a piston (68) that is mechanically linked to the at least one transducer unit (48), the piston (68) including a first end (70), a second end (72), and an opening (74) that extends between the first end (70) and the second end (72), wherein the housing (54) comprises at least one opening (60), and the at least one opening (60) of the housing (54) and the opening (74) of the piston (68) at least partially overlap with regard to a housing opening direction (66) defined by an opening center (62) of the opening (60) of the housing (54) at a first surface (56) and an opening center (64) of the opening (60) of the housing (54) at a second surface (58); and an oscillation applicator system