Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising an electrical coil system (17) for transmitting and receiving a radio-frequent (RF) magnetic field from an examination volume (3) of the MRI apparatus. The electrical coil system (17) comprises at least one surface coil (35) which substantially extends in a plane. The surface coil serves for transmitting and/or receiving an RF magnetic field which is substantially oriented perpendicular to the plane of the surface coil (35). The surface coil (35) has a main coil axis (37). When the MRI apparatus is in use the main coil axis (37) extends substantially parallel to a main magnetic field in the examination volume (3) of the MRI apparatus. On both sides of the main coil axis (37) the surface coil (35) comprises an electrically conducting element (39) which extends substantially parallel to the main coil axis (37).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating magnetic resonance images. In order to achieve high quality magnetic resonance imaging combined with a user-friendly operating of a magnetic resonance apparatus it is proposed to use data obtained from a reference scan comprising SENCE reference data to determine an optimum scan parameter set taking into account a chosen target value of a specific scan parameter such as the scan time or the signal-to-noise ratio. Based on the reference scan, image noise is predicted for various sets of scan parameters (alternative use of SENCE or intrinsic foldover without SENCE; various orientations of the phase encoding direction within the slice plane). An optimum scan parameter set is determined (shortest scan time to match target SNR or hightest SNR to match target scan time).

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.

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 coil axis (36), which is or is to be oriented parallel to a main magnetic field (Bo) in the examination volume (3), and at least one electrical conductor (37, 39) which extends mainly parallel to the coil axis. According to the invention, the RF coil system comprises an auxiliary coil (45, 47) which is assigned to said conductor of the main coil. The auxiliary coil has two electrical conductors (49, 51) which extend mainly parallel to the coil axis and on opposite sides of said conductor of the main coil. A distance between the two conductors of the auxiliary coil and the conductor of the main coil is small relative to a main dimension (L) of the main coil.

Abstract: A novel magnetic resonance imaging method is presented for forming an image of an object from a plurality of signals acquired by an array of multiple receiver antennae. Prior to imaging a sensitivity map of each of the receiver antennae is provided, at least two adjacent antennae record signals originating from the same imaging position and the image intensity is calculated from the signals measured by different antennae, wherein the number of phase encoding steps is reduced with respect to the full set thereof. In addition the field of view is set smaller than the object size in phase encoding direction inducing intrinsic foldover artefacts, whereas the sensitivity map of the receiver antennae and a reference image featuring intrinsic foldover artefacts are used for reconstruction of the MR image to an unfolded image.