Radio frequency receive coil for use in magnetic resonance imaging systems with disconnection warning

A radio frequency receive coil device for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, the RF receive coil device comprising:

• a RF receive coil;
• a plug for connecting the RF receive coil to the MR imaging system;
• sensing means for sensing presence of a main magnetic field generated by a main magnet of the MR imaging system;
• detecting means for detecting when the plug is connected to the MR imaging system;
• warning means for generating a warning when the sensing means sense the presence of the main magnetic field generated by the main magnet and the detecting means detect that the plug is not connected to the MR imaging system;
• and
• an energy harvesting unit for harvesting energy when entered into a bore of the MR imaging system for operation of the sensing means, the detecting means, and the warning means,
• wherein the energy harvesting unit comprises at least one induction coil for generating an electric current when a changing magnetic field is applied, and a rectifier for rectifying the electric current generated by the at least one induction coil.

A radio frequency (RF) receive coil device for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, the RF receive coil device comprising:

• a RF receive coil;
• a plug configured to connect the RF receive coil to the MR imaging system;
• a magnet sensor configured to sense a main magnetic field generated by a main magnet of the MR imaging system;
• a voltage detector configured to detect when the plug does not connect the RF receive coil to the MR imaging system;
• and
• an warning unit configured to provide at least one of an optical warning and an acoustic warning when the magnet sensor senses the main magnetic field and the voltage detector detects that the plug is not connected to the MR imaging system.