Elscint Ltd.

Oxford Magnet Technology Limited

General Electric Company

Union Camp Corporation

John Maurice Bird

Alex Palkovich

Ian Leitch McDougall

Neil Clarke

Ian J Brown

Tomas Duby

Alan George Armstrong

Ratson Morad

David Black

John Simkin

A method is provided for manufacturing a coil for a magnet. The method comprises the steps of providing a curved former, and disposing at least one hard-wire electrical conductor around the curved former. The former is initially manufactured in a flat or substantially flat shape, and is then bent into a desired curved shape. The former may be manufactured by moulding, and may be manufactured from a resilient material.

Method of manufacturing a coil for a magnet

This invention is concerned with actively shielded magnetic resonance (MR) devices and more particularly with an improved system which includes only a single former. All the coils of the system those with backward current and those with forward current, can all be wound in a single process on a single former machined during a single installation.

Single former active shield magnets

This invention is concerned with magnetic resonance imaging (MR) systems and more particularly with special MRI systems which enable rotating the data acquisition apparatus of the MRI system. Such systems enables imaging different body parts at a variety of angles; thus providing better diagnostic possibilities.

Magnetic resonance imaging system including an image acquisition

This invention is concerned with actively shielded magnetic resonance (MR) devices and more particularly with protecting such systems in the event of a quench by preventing changes in the stray field outside the magnetic devices. The invention includes dividing the system's coils into groups each comprised of inner and outer coils and arranged so that the net dipole moment, and the contribution to stray field from each group is always close to zero. Each group is connected in parallel to a protective unit, for example a resistor, so that the excess current can flow through the protective unit in the event of a quench; thus avoiding the burnout of the system's coils.

Quench protection for actively shielded magnets

A super-conducting magnet for magnetic resonance imaging systems comprising symmetrically located back-to-back C-frame magnets.

Superconducting magnet with symmetrical plural air gaps

A super conducting magnet system for magnetic resonance systems comprising at least one radiation shield. Temperature sensors, an external refrigeration system and a controller are provided for maintaining said at least one shield at a constant temperature by heating the shield and reducing the heat provided as the refrigerator system wears or by increasing the frequency of the refrigeration cycle as the system wears or both.

Superconductive magnet for magnetic resonance systems

A magnet for MRI systems having a first pair of spaced apart oppositely disposed walls with a first pole piece extending from one wall of said first pair of walls towards a second pole piece extending from the other wall of the pair of walls with an air gap between the first and the second pole pieces. A superconducting coil mounted on at least one of the first and the second pole pieces to generate a magnetic field between the pole pieces with the air gap between the pole pieces large enough for receiving a patient therein fop magnetic resonance imaging purposes; and a second pair of oppositely disposed walls closing said magnetic circuit; there being sufficient room between the walls to enable medical personnel to be between the walls of the second pair of walls and the pole pieces providing substantially complete access to the patient in the air gap.

Magnets providing patient accessibility

A support rod for supporting structures in a cryostat of a magnetic resonance system. The support rod has oppositely disposed stainless steel heads mounted on a glass reinforced plastic rod. The heads have threads on the main body thereof to minimize the length of the heads and thereby minimize heat condition.

Support rod

A hybrid shielding arrangement for solenoid type cryogenic magnets used in MR systems uses both active and passive shielding elements to improve the effective shielding.

Integrated active shielded magnet system

A magnet assembly, particularly for use in NMR imaging apparatus, comprises a plurality of nested, coaxial coils (2-5). The radius and number of turns of the coils (2-5) are such that when working currents flow through the coils substantially uniform magnetic field is generated in a homogeneous region (16).

Magnet assembly having a plurality of nested coaxial coils

A magnet assembly (1) particularly for use in NMR apparatus comprises a first superconducting coil assembly (A,A'-C,C') for generating a first magnetic field; and a second superconducting coil assembly (D-F) for generating a second magnetic field. The second superconducting coil assembly (D-F) is electrically connected in series with the first superconducting coil assembly (A,A'-C,C'). Each coil assembly (A,A'-C,C'; D-F) generates magnetic fields where corresponding components are of substantially the same order of magnitude whereby a resultant, uniform magnetic field is generated in a working volume (3). The second magnetic field opposes the first magnetic field externally of the magnet assembly (1).

Magnet assembly for use in NMR apparatus

A magnet system comprises magnetic field generating means such as a superconducting magnet (12) and a shield including a number of sheets (9) of magnetic material, the size (l.sub.z, l.sub.x) and position (r) of the or each sheet (9) relatively to the magnetic field generating means (12) being such that in use at the edge of the sheet or sheets the component of magnetization (M.sub.z) parallel to the sheet in the direction of the magnetic field is less than or substantially equal to zero.

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Charlbury, United Kingdom

John Maurice Bird