Abstract: A patient couch for use in a medical imaging system that includes a gantry, a power supply unit and a driving unit for positioning the patient couch with respect to the gantry. The patient couch includes at least a first connector for supplying a wireless coil (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) coil for an MRI imaging apparatus) with power. The patient couch is detachably connected to the gantry. The power supply is configured to supply the first connector with power and an optional clock synchronization signal.

Abstract: Some radio-frequency coils comprise three or more electrical conductors that form a radio-frequency coil element. Each of the three or more electrical conductors extends along at least a respective part of a length of the radio-frequency coil element, and, along the length of the radio-frequency coil element, the three or more electrical conductors are separated from each other by respective distances and by one or more dielectric materials.

Abstract: Some radio-frequency coils comprise three or more electrical conductors that form a radio-frequency coil element. Each of the three or more electrical conductors extends along at least a respective part of a length of the radio-frequency coil element, and, along the length of the radio-frequency coil element, the three or more electrical conductors are separated from each other by respective distances and by one or more dielectric materials.

Abstract: Some radio-frequency coils comprise three or more electrical conductors that form a radio-frequency coil element. Each of the three or more electrical conductors extends along at least a respective part of a length of the radio-frequency coil element, and, along the length of the radio-frequency coil element, the three or more electrical conductors are separated from each other by respective distances and by one or more dielectric materials.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance RF receive coil with non-conductive waveguides for data transfer between the RF coil antennas and the channel aggregator is described. The non-conductive waveguide for each channel includes a plastic waveguide transferring data between a millimeter wave transmitter and a millimeter wave receiver.

Abstract: Some radio-frequency coils comprise three or more electrical conductors that form a radio-frequency coil element. Each of the three or more electrical conductors extends along at least a respective part of a length of the radio-frequency coil element, and, along the length of the radio-frequency coil element, the three or more electrical conductors are separated from each other by respective distances and by one or more dielectric materials.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance RF receive coil with non-conductive waveguides for data transfer between the RF coil antennas and the channel aggregator is described. The non-conductive waveguide for each channel includes a plastic waveguide transferring data between a millimeter wave transmitter and a millimeter wave receiver.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes data acquisition circuitry configured to generate magnetic resonance data; a digital encoder connected to receive the magnetic resonance data and configured to digitally encode the magnetic resonance data using an encoding scheme having a spectral null approximately at the Larmor frequency; and an electric data transmission line connected to transmit the digitally encoded magnetic resonance data.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes static and gradient magnetic field generators, at least one radio frequency (RF) coil, at least one RF transmitter and at least one RF receiver. At least one power consumption monitor is coupled to locally measure power consumed by the RF coil. The MRI control system has at least one computer configured to determine a specific absorption rate (SAR) for a patient coupled to the RF coil based on at least: (a) RF power transmitted to said RF coil while the RF coil is inductively coupled to the patient, and (b) an electrical signal output from the at least one power consumption monitor while the RF coil is inductively coupled to the patient.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an MRI apparatus (20) obtains a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from an RF coil device (100) which detects the nuclear magnetic resonance signal emitted from an object (P), and this MRI apparatus (20) includes a first radio communication unit (200), a second radio communication unit (300) and an image reconstruction unit (56). The first radio communication unit (200) obtains the nuclear magnetic resonance signal detected by the RF coil device (100), and wirelessly transmits the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in a digitized state via an induced electric field. The second radio communication unit (300) receives the nuclear magnetic resonance signal wirelessly transmitted from the first radio communication unit (200) via the induced electric field. The image reconstruction unit (56) reconstructs image data of the object (P) based on the nuclear magnetic resonance signal received by the second radio communication unit (300).

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or apparatus is configured to effect MR imaging where data corresponding to MR signals is transmitted from a radio frequency (RF) receive coil to the MRI data processor via a path that includes a near-field wireless communication (NFC) connection. A receiver for the NFC connection is selected from of the one or more wireless signal receivers that are arranged on a restraining belt when the restraining belt is placed, during operation of an MRI system for imaging an object located on a patient table, over at least a portion of the object and the receive RF coil is located between the restraining belt and the object.

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or apparatus is configured to effect MR imaging where data corresponding to MR signals is transmitted from a radio frequency (RF) receive coil to the MRI data processor via a path that includes a near-field wireless communication (NFC) connection. A receiver for the NFC connection is selected from of the one or more wireless signal receivers that are arranged on a restraining belt when the restraining belt is placed, during operation of an MRI system for imaging an object located on a patient table, over at least a portion of the object and the receive RF coil is located between the restraining belt and the object.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes static and gradient magnetic field generators, at least one radio frequency (RF) coil, at least one RF transmitter and at least one RF receiver. At least one power consumption monitor is coupled to locally measure power consumed by the RF coil. The MRI control system has at least one computer configured to determine a specific absorption rate (SAR) for a patient coupled to the RF coil based on at least: (a) RF power transmitted to said RF coil while the RF coil is inductively coupled to the patient, and (b) an electrical signal output from the at least one power consumption monitor while the RF coil is inductively coupled to the patient.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an MRI apparatus (20) obtains a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from an RF coil device (100) which detects the nuclear magnetic resonance signal emitted from an object (P), and this MRI apparatus (20) includes a first radio communication unit (200), a second radio communication unit (300) and an image reconstruction unit (56). The first radio communication unit (200) obtains the nuclear magnetic resonance signal detected by the RF coil device (100), and wirelessly transmits the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in a digitized state via an induced electric field. The second radio communication unit (300) receives the nuclear magnetic resonance signal wirelessly transmitted from the first radio communication unit (200) via the induced electric field. The image reconstruction unit (56) reconstructs image data of the object (P) based on the nuclear magnetic resonance signal received by the second radio communication unit (300).

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.

Abstract: An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.