Siemens Corporation

Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Simon James Calvert

Jonathan Noys

Adrian Mark Thomas

Michael Simpkins

Marcel Kruip

Rodrigo Ormeno

Russell Peter Gore

Martino Leghissa

Neil John Belton

Raymond Hornsby

Marcel Jan Márie Kruip

Rebecca Fahrig

A method for the manufacture of a formerless, multi-coil cylindrical superconducting magnet structure is disclosed. The structure comprises superconducting coils and annular spacers of composite filler material. The disclosure also provides a formerless, multi-coil cylindrical superconducting magnet structure as may be manufactured by such a method.

Methods of manufacturing a molded, formerless multi-coil cylindrical superconducting magnet structure, and a structure as may be manufactured by such methods

An assembly of supported superconducting coils may include support structure including a flexible mounting band attached to a surface of a coil and which extends axially beyond the radially outer surface of the coil. The flexible mounting band may be attached to a support structure at multiple locations. The coil may be attached to one or more other coils by the flexible mounting band.

Support structure for superconducting coil

A superconducting magnet assembly may include a main magnet assembly having at least one annular coil arranged about an axis, and at least one shield coil, of greater diameter than the main magnet assembly, arranged about the axis. At least one support may be provided, attached to the shield coil and to the main magnet assembly.

Coil support

A medical imaging system a magnet unit includes a main magnet and a first housing. In an embodiment, the main magnet is arranged inside the first housing and includes coil elements and at least one coil carrier, the magnet unit defining an examination opening. The first radiation unit is embodied to irradiate the examination object and is arranged on the side of the magnet unit. The magnet unit includes a first region, transparent to radiation emitted by the first radiation unit radially to the examination axis. The first radiation unit is embodied to emit radiation through the first region of the magnet unit in a direction of the examination opening and is furthermore embodied to rotate about the examination opening.

Medical imaging system comprising a magnet unit and a radiation unit

A resin-impregnated superconducting coil has axially-extending coil mounting arrangements that include features embedded within the structure of the resin-impregnated superconducting coil, between layers of turns of the coil.

Support of superconducting coils for MRI systems

A cylindrical superconducting magnet system for use in magnetic resonance imaging has axially aligned primary superconducting coils that are situated within an outer vacuum chamber (OVC). A thermal radiation shield surrounds the primary superconducting coils within the OVC. A primary gradient coil assembly is axially aligned with the primary superconducting coils and is situated radially within the primary superconducting coils. The cylindrical superconducting magnetic system also includes a secondary gradient coil assembly, that is radially situated outside of the primary superconducting coils and that is mechanically attached to the primary gradient coil assembly.

Force-compensated gradient coil

A cylindrical superconducting magnet system for use in magnetic resonance imaging has axially aligned primary superconducting coils surrounded by a thermal radiation shield within a vacuum vessel. A gradient coil assembly is axially aligned with and located radially within the primary superconducting coils. An assembly support is, radially positioned outside of the primary superconducting coils and is mechanically attached to the gradient coil assembly at a number of locations around the circumference of the gradient coil assembly, and at a number of axial locations along the gradient coil assembly, by radially-directed mechanical attachments that pass though through-holes through the vacuum vessel and the thermal radiation shield, and mechanically isolated from the vacuum vessel. At least some of the mechanical attachments each comprise an active force transducer arranged to provide impulses of force onto a surface of the gradient coil assembly to oppose vibrations of the gradient coil assembly.

Method and apparatus for reduction of gradient coil vibration in MRI systems

In a combined MRI and radiation therapy system, a magnet structure and radiation therapy equipment are provided. The magnet structure comprises a single substantially cylindrical field coil structure comprising a number of superconducting coils joined by a support structure and extending axially of a central region. An outer vacuum chamber encloses the field coil structure in an evacuated volume. A cooling arrangement comprising cooling tubes is in thermal contact with the superconducting coils and receives a cryogen flowing through the cooling tubes. The radiation therapy equipment comprises a gamma radiation source rotatable about an axis of the field coil structure to direct a radiation beam substantially radially through the field coil structure. Parts of the field coil structure and the outer vacuum chamber are transparent to radiation emitted by the gamma radiation source whereby the radiation beam is directed through the field coil structure and the outer vacuum chamber without substantial interference.

Combined MRI and radiation therapy equipment

A cylindrical superconducting magnet has a number of axially-aligned annular coils of superconducting wire, arranged for cooling by thermal conduction through a cooled surface in mechanical contact with the coils. The coils are provided with a cryogenic radiation shield located between respective radially inner surfaces of the coils and respective axes of the coils. The cryogenic radiation shield is formed of a metal layer in thermal contact with the cooled surface.

Superconducting magnets with thermal radiation shields

A magnet assembly has a number of axially-aligned coils, the radial mid-point of each coil being axially-aligned with a portion of a radial extent of an adjacent coil in the assembly. Compression blocks are provided between adjacent coils at circumferential intervals, to retain the coils in fixed relative positions.

Solenoidal magnets composed of multiple axially aligned coils

In a method or joint for joining first and second semiconductor wires, each comprising a number of filaments which each comprise a superconductive core within a respective sheath, the filaments being embedded within a matrix and wherein the superconductive cores comprise magnesium diboride and the sheaths comprise niobium, over a certain length a matrix is removed to expose the filaments. The exposed filaments are immersed in molten tin such that the nobium of the sheaths is converted to niobium-tin throughout a thickness of the sheaths. A superconductive path is provided between the superconductive cores of filaments of the first wire through the niobium-tin sheaths of the filaments to the superconductive cores of the second wire.

Joints with very low resistance between superconducting wires and methods for making such joints

A hollow cylindrical thermal shield for a tubular cryogenically cooled superconducting magnet, has a first axis, an inner cylindrical tube having an axis aligned with the first axis, an outer cylindrical tube of greater diameter than the diameter of the inner cylindrical tube, having an axis aligned with the first axis, and annular end pieces, joining the inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube to form an enclosure. The hollow cylindrical thermal shield further has a cylindrical stiffener, extending axially at least part of the axial length of the inner cylindrical tube, the stiffener being joined at intervals to the inner cylindrical tube, thereby to improve the mechanical rigidity of the inner cylindrical tube.

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Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Simon James Calvert