The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 15, 1997
Mark A Richard, S. Euclid, OH (US);
Nicholas J Mastandrea, Euclid, OH (US);
Picker International, Inc., Highland Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A snap-in, whole-body radio frequency coil (38) for increasing the diameter of a bore (12) of a toroidal magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of longitudinally extending coil elements (42) having element ends (44). The longitudinally extending coil elements are disposed on a flat, flexible, non-conductive plastic sheet (40) which is capable of being rolled and disposed concentricly in an interior diameter of the bore to form a thin-walled, bird-cage type radio frequency coil. Adjacent element ends are connected with a first capacitance C.sub.0 to resonate the coil at a certain frequency. To permit mechanically switching the resonant frequency of the coil, protruding metal contacts (60) are electrically connected to the element ends. An adjustment end ring includes separated metal pads (66) disposed on a non-conducting ring substrate (64). Adjacent metal pads are connected with second capacitances C.sub.1. The diameter of the adjustment end ring is preselected to permit resilient contact with the metal contacts. The adjustment end ring is rotatable to bring the metal pads and thus second capacitances C.sub.1 in electrical contact with the element ends which increases the total capacitance between element ends and adjusts the RF coil to resonate at a lower frequency.