University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Jeffrey R Fitzsimmons

Ray Gerald Thomas

Anthony A Mancuso

George R Duensing

E William Akins

Don Sanford

An NMR radio frequency (RF) surface coil allows the user to continuously vary the size of the field of view. The surface coil utilizes a modified radio frequency trombone for size adjustment that results in a stable resonant frequency of the coil over a wide range of dimensions such that retuning of the coil is unnecessary with changes in dimensions and variation of the field of view. The coil may be increased in area by as much as 60 percent while maintaining frequency stability to 1 MHz at 63.5 MHz and 2 MHz for full extension of 10 cm. The coil is readily adapted for imaging of the human spine, but can also be utilized for imaging other anatomical features.

Continuously variable field of view surface coil for NMR imaging

An RF receiver coil structure for NMR imaging of cardiac and thoraco-abdominal regions of a human body. The coil structure includes a coil of generally solenoidal geometry having two turns separated by an inter-element gap. The inter-element gap is sufficiently large to accommodate an average human torso at the chest level (e.g. 25 cm). The turns are cross coupled by a pair of crossed diagonal elements. The coil is formed of a tubular conductor, having a tubular diameter (outside diameter) of approximately 1/2 inch. The coil has terminal ends in one of its diagonal elements, and the coil structure further includes a component unit located where the diagonal elements cross. The component unit includes a capacitor electrically connected to the coil to form a parallel resonant circuit. The same geometry may be employed in a multi-turn structure, where preferably one-half of the total number of turns are positioned above the patient, and the other half below the patient.

Cross-coupled double loop receiver coil for NMR imaging of cardiac and

An RF receiver coil structure for NMR imaging of a human head attached by a neck to a body (normally lying horizontally), having ear positions, and having a defined axis generally along a line extending from the top of the head through the neck. The coil lies primarily in a coil plane which is horizontal, and thus is properly oriented with reference to the main field orientation of an NMR system. The coil is generally oval in configuration, having sides and defined upper and lower ends spaced by an oval height. The coil is sized for positioning around the head oriented such that the coil upper end is adjacent to the top of the head, the coil sides are generally adjacent to the ear positions, and the defined head axis lies in the defined coil plane. The coil includes an angled segment defined as having a midpoint at the coil lower end and which extends from the midpoint along the coil sides towards the coil upper end for a distance corresponding to approximately one-third of the oval height, terminating at segment endpoints. The angled segment thus diverges beginning at the segment endpoints out of the coil plane at an angle such that the coil lower end clears the neck when positioned around the head. The coil is formed of a tubular conductor, having a tubular diameter (outside diameter) in the approximate range of from 3/8 inch to 3/4 inch. The coil has terminal ends at its upper end at which a component unit is located. The component unit includes a capacitor electrically connected to the coil terminal ends to form a parallel resonant circuit.

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Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Jeffrey R Fitzsimmons