Abstract: A birdcage coil includes: (a) a pair of conductive end rings, each having a generally domed shape in axial cross section; (b) a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of conductive end rings in an axial direction; and (c) an LC delay circuit incorporated into the pair of rings and the plurality of elongated rungs, where the LC delay circuit includes a plurality of capacitive elements and a plurality of inductive elements. In the present invention circumferential spacing between adjacent elongated rungs is varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation. Alternatively, or in addition, LC circuit capacitance and/or inductance values are varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation.

Abstract: A birdcage coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the birdcage coil includes: a relatively planar birdcage coil section, including a pair of relatively planar ring portions and a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of relatively planar ring portions; and a relatively domed birdcage coil section, including a pair of relatively domed ring portions and a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of relatively domed ring portions. The relatively domed birdcage coil section is releasably coupled to the relatively planar birdcage coil section. In an embodiment, at least two sets of the relatively planar and domed birdcage coil sections are provided, where each of the at least two sets is configured to a different MRI application.

Abstract: A birdcage coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the birdcage coil includes: a relatively planar birdcage coil section, including a pair of relatively planar ring portions and a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of relatively planar ring portions; and a relatively domed birdcage coil section, including a pair of relatively domed ring portions and a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of relatively domed ring portions. The relatively domed birdcage coil section is releasably coupled to the relatively planar birdcage coil section. In an embodiment, at least two sets of the relatively planar and domed birdcage coil sections are provided, where each of the at least two sets is configured to a different MRI application.

Abstract: A birdcage coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The birdcage coil includes: (a) a pair of conductive end rings, each having a generally domed shape in axial cross section; (b) a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of conductive end rings in an axial direction; and (c) an LC delay circuit incorporated into the pair of rings and the plurality of elongated rungs, where the LC delay circuit includes a plurality of capacitive elements and a plurality of inductive elements. In the present invention circumferential spacing between adjacent elongated rungs is varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation. Alternatively, or in addition, LC circuit capacitance and/or inductance values are varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation.

Abstract: A birdcage coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The birdcage coil includes: (a) a pair of conductive end rings, each having a generally domed shape in axial cross section; (b) a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of conductive end rings in an axial direction; and (c) an LC delay circuit incorporated into the pair of rings and the plurality of elongated rungs, where the LC delay circuit includes a plurality of capacitive elements and a plurality of inductive elements. In the present invention circumferential spacing between adjacent elongated rungs is varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation. Alternatively, or in addition, LC circuit capacitance and/or inductance values are varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) signal detector grid assembly adapted for detection of signals in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is disclosed. The MR signal detector grid assembly may include a non-resonant grid of a plurality of wire elements and a plurality of detector elements. At least one end of a selected wire element may be electrically attached to an end of at least one other selected wire element. At least one of the detector elements may be configured to detect an MR signal induced on a wire element in the non-resonant grid. The plurality of wire elements may be substantially in the same plane, and the plane may be warped into an arbitrary three-dimensional surface. The three-dimensional surface may have a shape that is cylindrical, partially cylindrical, and/or saddle-shaped. The plurality of wire elements may form a rectilinear grid, a hexagonal grid, a triangular grid, and/or a pseudo-random grid.

Abstract: A birdcage coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The birdcage coil includes: (a) a pair of conductive end rings, each having a generally domed shape in axial cross section; (b) a plurality of conductive, elongated rungs extending between the pair of conductive end rings in an axial direction; and (c) an LC delay circuit incorporated into the pair of rings and the plurality of elongated rungs, where the LC delay circuit includes a plurality of capacitive elements and a plurality of inductive elements. In the present invention circumferential spacing between adjacent elongated rungs is varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation. Alternatively, or in addition, LC circuit capacitance and/or inductance values are varied to improve homogeneity of the volume excitation.

Abstract: An MR loop coil design incorporates a balun into the loop coil. With this approach, some components of the coil may be simultaneously part of the imaging coil and the balun. Further, with this approach the number of components used to build an MR coil may be reduced, which may result in a reduction in cost, weight and size. This MR loop coil design may also be used to build phased array coils from the smaller loop size. Such an approach may use small feeder circuit boards oriented generally perpendicular to the coil elements to reduce interactions between the feeder boards and the coils. Such feeder boards may also be made smaller than conventional feeder circuits because the integrated balun coil design may reduce the number of components needed to create balanced coils in the array.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) signal detector grid assembly adapted for detection of signals in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is disclosed. The MR signal detector grid assembly may comprise a non-resonant grid of a plurality of wire elements and a plurality of detector elements. At least one end of a selected wire element may be electrically attached to an end of at least one other selected wire element. At least one of the detector elements may be configured to detect an MR signal induced on a wire element in the non-resonant grid. The plurality of wire elements may be substantially in the same plane, and the plane may be warped into an arbitrary three-dimensional surface. The three-dimensional surface may have a shape that is cylindrical, partially cylindrical, and/or saddle-shaped. The plurality of wire elements may form a rectilinear grid, a hexagonal grid, a triangular grid, and/or a pseudo-random grid.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes examples of magnetic resonance (MR) detector that may replace conventional MR imaging coil arrays. The present disclosure generally describes an example coil design approach that may reduce the number of components for MR imaging devices and may eliminate the need of tissue matching. In some examples, this approach implements a non-resonant grid in which MR-induced currents are allowed to flow unconstrained over the grid (unlike conventional phased array coils in which current is constrained to flow within each loop). Current in each element of the grid may be detected with inductively-coupled pickup loops, which may be attached to independent receiver channels of the MR imaging system. In one example, individual integrated balun pickup coils may be inductively coupled to each grid element. Other connection arrangements, however, may be employed if desired.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes examples of magnetic resonance (MR) detector that may replace conventional MR imaging coil arrays. The present disclosure generally describes an example coil design approach that may reduce the number of components for MR imaging devices and may eliminate the need of tissue matching. In some examples, this approach implements a non-resonant grid in which MR-induced currents are allowed to flow unconstrained over the grid (unlike conventional phased array coils in which current is constrained to flow within each loop). Current in each element of the grid may be detected with inductively-coupled pickup loops, which may be attached to independent receiver channels of the MR imaging system. In one example, individual integrated balun pickup coils may be inductively coupled to each grid element. Other connection arrangements, however, may be employed if desired.

Abstract: An MR loop coil design incorporates a balun into the loop coil. With this approach, some components of the coil may be simultaneously part of the imaging coil and the balun. Further, with this approach the number of components used to build an MR coil may be reduced, which may result in a reduction in cost, weight and size. This MR loop coil design may also be used to build phased array coils from the smaller loop size. Such an approach may use small feeder circuit boards oriented generally perpendicular to the coil elements to reduce interactions between the feeder boards and the coils. Such feeder boards may also be made smaller than conventional feeder circuits because the integrated balun coil design may reduce the number of components needed to create balanced coils in the array.