Abstract: A radio frequency coil (30, 30?, 120, 120?) for a magnetic resonance imaging system (10, 10?) includes a birdcage section (34, 122, 122?) having a plurality of parallel spaced apart conductors (46, 130, 130?) and one or more cross or end conductors (48, 132, 144?, 154, 156) aligned generally transverse to the spaced apart conductors (46, 130, 130?), and a TEM section (32, 32?, 32?, 124, 124?) having a plurality of parallel spaced apart conductors (40, 40?, 140) and a radio frequency screen (42, 142, 144, 144?). The birdcage section (34, 122, 122?) and the TEM section (32, 32?, 32?, 124, 124?) resonate at a birdcage resonant frequency and a TEM resonant frequency, respectively. The birdcage section (34, 122, 122?) and the TEM section (32, 32?, 32?, 124, 124?) are relatively disposed with the parallel spaced apart conductors of each section aligned and define a subject receiving region.

Abstract: The invention relates to an MR method for generating an image of a body part of a patient located in the examination volume of an MR device. According to the method, firstly MR signals are excited in the examination volume by means of a sequence of magnetic field gradient pulses (15, 16, 17) and/or RF pulses (14). Thereafter, the MR signals are recorded by means of an RF coil arrangement of the MR device, where the RF coil arrangement has a number of coil elements that can be actuated individually. Finally, image reconstruction from the recorded MR signals takes place.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus includes a main magnetic field generating assembly (12) located in a magnetic resonance suite generates a substantially spatially constant main magnetic field through at least a portion of a subject in an imaging region. A gradient field generating assembly (16) overlays spatially variant gradient magnetic fields onto the main magnetic field. A radio frequency assembly (22) excites magnetic resonance in dipoles of a subject in the imaging region. A receiver (36) receives magnetic resonance signals from resonating dipoles in the imaging region. Radio frequency transponders (60) are affixed to objects (22, 104, 106, 108, 110, 114) in the magnetic resonance suite. The transponders (60) are interrogated by a reader/writer (62) to determine which coils are in the bore (14) and whether other coils and objects are outside of a safety threshold (116).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an MR device for MR imaging as well as to an RF coil system for such an MR device. In order to enable switching to and fro between different applications in such an MR device without having to move the patient so as to position a new RF coil system, it is proposed in accordance with the invention to provide the RF coil system for the transmission and/or reception of RF signals with at least two RF coil arrays which are integrated in one coil former and have been optimized for different applications, each RF coil array comprising at least two RF coils which are decoupled from one another.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-frequency system for an MR apparatus with a high-frequency coil arrangement comprising a plurality of resonator elements (104), which is connected to a transmit unit (106), where a respective transmit channel (1-8) of the transmit unit (106) is assigned to the resonator elements (104). In order to provide a high-frequency system of this kind at low cost, by means of which a high frequency field can be generated in an examination volume (100) with a field distribution that can be preselected flexibly and variably, the invention proposes that the transmit unit (106) is equipped with a plurality of high-frequency amplifiers (107), the inputs of which can receive low-power transmit signals via a first controllable multiplexer/distributor network (108), in which the output signals of the high-frequency amplifiers (107) can be distributed over the transmit channels (1-8) via a second controllable multiplexer/distributor network (109).

Abstract: The invention relates to an open MR system in which the magnetic RF field is to be adjusted at will in respect of field profile. This is achieved in accordance with the invention by providing an RF coil system for the transmission and/or reception of RF signals, which RF coil system includes two RF coil arrays which are arranged on opposite sides of the examination zone, each RF coil array including at least two RF coils which are decoupled from one another and are connected to a respective channel of a transmit/receive unit. The invention also relates to a corresponding planar RF coil array.

Abstract: An MR apparatus includes an MR coil system of the so-called bird cage type which operates in a degenerate mode of operation in which all resonance modes and all resonance frequencies coincide. It has been found that the individual meshes of the MR coil system are then decoupled from one another, thus enabling operation as a coil array, the individual MR signals being processed in separate processing channels so as to form MR sub-images which can be combined in a reconstruction unit so as to form an MR overall image having an improved signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: In an MR device in which an MR image can be reconstructed by means of a coil array system, the image data supplied by the coil array system are corrected by means of a reference coil system which consists of a number of coil elements distributed on its circumference. The two coil systems can thus receive MR signals simultaneously.

Abstract: An MR device for determining the nuclear magnetization distribution in an examination zone by means of a surface coil system includes a plurality of coils, preferably ranging from six to twenty-four in number, which are located at different angular positions and are constructed as respective loops, a part of the loops being bent towards the interior of the surface coil system. The coils are arranged on a straight circular support and each of the coils partly overlaps the loop of the neighboring coils. An MR device including such angular coils enables substantially stronger MR signals to be received from an examination zone. This MR device is particularly suitable for use as a head coil system for examinations of the head.