Abstract: In one aspect, in a magnetic resonance imaging system having a gradient coil array comprising a plurality of independent coils distributed about an enclosure, a method of applying currents to said coils is disclosed, which comprises defining a merit function for optimizing at least one feature of any of a magnetic field and an electric field generated by the coils, using a computer processor to optimize the merit function so as to determine an optimal current vector, wherein said element of the current vector provides a current value for application to one of said gradient coils, and applying the currents to said coils.

Abstract: In one aspect, in a magnetic resonance imaging system having a gradient coil array comprising a plurality of independent coils distributed about an enclosure, a method of applying currents to said coils is disclosed, which comprises defining a merit function for optimizing at least one feature of any of a magnetic field and an electric field generated by the coils, using a computer processor to optimize the merit function so as to determine an optimal current vector, wherein said element of the current vector provides a current value for application to one of said gradient coils, and applying the currents to said coils.

Abstract: An MRI system includes a gantry having a longitudinal axis (herein “z-axis”) and a magnet disposed about the gantry for generating a static magnetic field along the longitudinal axis. Additionally, the system comprises a first gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along the longitudinal axis; a second gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along a first transverse direction (herein “x-axis”) orthogonal the longitudinal axis; and a third gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along a second transverse direction (herein “y-axis”) orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the first transverse direction. Magnetic sensors are positioned relative to the gantry to measure gradients of transverse components of magnetic field along one or more of the x, y and z axes. A controller receives measurement signals from the sensors and operates on those signals to determine gradients of the gradient magnetic field along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Provided is a gradient magnetic field generation module using multiple coils to generate a gradient magnetic field. Provided is a gradient magnetic field generation module including: a gradient coil formed inside a main magnet and generating a gradient magnetic field and including a plurality of coils; and a gradient amplifier controlling at least one of a shape of the gradient magnetic field, a strength of the gradient magnetic field, and slew rate of the gradient magnetic field generated by the gradient coil, in which the plurality of coils is grouped into a plurality of coil groups and current which flows in the plurality of coils is independently controlled by the unit of a group by the gradient amplifier.

Abstract: A system for multi-slice magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprises a gradient coil array comprising a plurality of independent coils distributed about an enclosure; and a controller configured to concurrently actuate said plurality of coils so as to generate a spatially-varying magnetic field within said enclosure such that for at least first and second volumetric slices, a magnetic field magnitude associated with at least one location in the first volumetric slice is substantially equal to a magnetic field magnitude associated with a respective location in the second volumetric slice.

Abstract: An MRI system includes a gantry having a longitudinal axis (herein “z-axis”) and a magnet disposed about the gantry for generating a static magnetic field along the longitudinal axis. Additionally, the system comprises a first gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along the longitudinal axis; a second gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along a first transverse direction (herein “x-axis”) orthogonal the longitudinal axis; and a third gradient magnet for generating a gradient magnetic field along a second transverse direction (herein “y-axis”) orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the first transverse direction. Magnetic sensors are positioned relative to the gantry to measure gradients of transverse components of magnetic field along one or more of the x, y and z axes. A controller receives measurement signals from the sensors and operates on those signals to determine gradients of the gradient magnetic field along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Provided is a gradient magnetic field generation module using multiple coils to generate a gradient magnetic field. Provided is a gradient magnetic field generation module including: a gradient coil formed inside a main magnet and generating a gradient magnetic field and including a plurality of coils; and a gradient amplifier controlling at least one of a shape of the gradient magnetic field, a strength of the gradient magnetic field, and slew rate of the gradient magnetic field generated by the gradient coil, in which the plurality of coils is grouped into a plurality of coil groups and current which flows in the plurality of coils is independently controlled by the unit of a group by the gradient amplifier.