General Electric Company

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Dan Kenrick Spence

Victor Taracila

Robert Steven Stormont

Fraser John Laing Robb

Mark Xueming Zou

Hiroyuki Fujita

Pei Hsuon Chan

Limin Feng

Louis Jay Vannatta

Peter B Roemer

Marco Francesco Aimi

Labros S Petropoulos

Fraser Robb

Dashen Chu

Aleksey Zemskov

Kolman Juhasz

Joseph Murphy-Boesch

Taylan Dalveren

Miguel Angel Navarro, Ii

Modhurin Banerjee

Gabriel Searles

Vincent W Chen

Shuying Huang

Gene Laurich

Michael Czigler

Yun-Jeong Yang

Youqing Zhang

Thomas K Foo

William J Bonneau

Edwin L Legall

Gaines Hartley

A radio frequency coil assembly for an MRI system. A support structure extends between a first end and a second end in a first direction and between an inner surface and an opposite outer surface in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The support structure has channels that extend into the support structure in the second direction. An RF coil is configured to transmit and/or receive RF signals. The RF coil is supported by the outer surface of the support structure. The channels are at least partially positioned between the support structure and the RF coil in the first direction and are configured to convey a cooling medium to cool the support structure in use.

Radio frequency coil assemblies for magnetic resonance imaging systems and methods for making them

Various systems are provided for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In one example, a method includes selecting a contour topology for operating a configurable radio frequency (RF) coil assembly, wherein the configurable RF coil assembly includes an array of conductive segments coupled via a plurality of switches, and the contour topology defines a configuration of one or more RF coil elements formed on the configurable RF coil assembly. The method further includes, during a receive mode, at least partially activating one or more subsets of switches of the plurality of switches according to the selected contour topology to form the one or more RF coil elements.

Systems and methods for a configurable radio frequency coil for MR imaging

An apparatus for decoupling a receive coil from a transmit coil includes a tuning circuit connected electrically with the receive coil and a MEMS switch connected electrically in parallel with the tuning circuit, and operable to line up or to bypass the tuning circuit by opening or closing the MEMS switch. The apparatus further includes a control circuit operatively connected with the MEMS switch and operable to open or to close the MEMS within a window of time responsive to energization of the transmit coil to transmit a signal.

Apparatus and method for decoupling an MRI receive coil

Various methods and systems are provided for a disconnecting a receive coil from a transmit coil of a magnetic resonance (MR) system during a transmit operation. In one example, a cabling system may include a first line of coil-interfacing cable having a first set of hybrid switches, the first set of hybrid switches including a first switch, a first resonance circuit, and a second switch connected in series, and a second line of the coil-interfacing cable having a second set of hybrid switches, the first line and the second line of the coil-interfacing cable operably coupling one or more radio frequency (RF) coil elements to respective channels of the MR system. By positioning the first and the second sets of hybrid switches along different locations along the coil-interfacing cables, and simultaneously operating each set of hybrid switches, common mode currents may be interrupted along the coil-interfacing cables.

Systems and methods for disconnecting an MRI RF coil

A system includes a plurality of micro-electromechanical switches including a plurality of gates, coupled to each other. Each micro-electromechanical switch includes a beam electrode disposed on a substrate. A beam includes an anchor portion coupled to the beam electrode. The beam includes a first beam portion extending from the anchor portion along a first direction; and a second beam portion extending from the anchor portion along a second direction opposite to the first direction. A first control electrode and a first contact electrode are disposed on the substrate, facing the first beam portion. A second control electrode and a second contact electrode are disposed on the substrate, facing the second beam portion. The first control electrode and the second control electrode are coupled to form a gate among the plurality of gates. The plurality of micro-electromechanical switches is arranged in at least one of a series arrangement, parallel arrangement.

Integrated micro-electromechanical switches and a related method thereof

Systems and devices for transmitting radio frequency signals to and from radio frequency coils in magnetic resonance imaging systems are provided. In one embodiment, a balun for blocking induced radio frequency current on ground conductors of a multi-layer signal carrier includes first and second insulative elements disposed on first and second sides of the signal carrier, respectively, a conductive layer partially surrounding ends of each insulative element with a central region of each insulative element not surrounded by the respective conductive layer, first and second capacitive circuits coupled to the conductive layers of each respective insulative element in the central region thereof, vias extending through the signal carrier, and conductive material disposed in the vias electrically coupling a conductive layer on respective ends of the first and second elements with one another and with the ground conductors.

Magnetic resonance compatible multichannel stripline balun

A radio frequency (RF) coil array includes a plurality of RF coil sections arranged in a superior-inferior direction. Each RF coil section includes a plurality of asymmetric saddle coil pairs configured in an overlapping arrangement in a left-right direction. The plurality of asymmetric saddle coil pairs may include three asymmetric saddle coil pairs arranged in a left-right direction. The position of the asymmetric saddle coil pairs on the left and right may be shifted in the superior-inferior direction with respect to the middle asymmetric saddle coil pair. In an alternative configuration, each RF coil section includes a first loop coil, an asymmetric saddle coil pair and a second loop coil arranged in a left-right direction.

Radio frequency (RF) coil array with double asymmetric saddle coil pairs

A system and method for configuring coils in a coil array are provided. The system includes a coil arrangement for a medical imaging system. The coil arrangement includes a plurality of coil elements for a medical imaging system and a plurality of twisted portions in combination with at least one of the plurality of coil elements.

Coil arrays for parallel imaging in magnetic resonance imaging

A partially parallel acquisition RF coil array for imaging a human head having a summit and a lower portion includes at least a first, a second and a third quadrature coil pair adapted to be arranged circumambiently about the lower portion of the head; and at least a forth, a fifth and a sixth quadrature coil pair adapted to be conformably arranged about the summit of the head.

Head RF quadrature coil array for parallel imaging

Growing community of inventors

Hartland, WI, United States of America

Dan Kenrick Spence