US 10,649,048 B2Granted

Single layer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) transmit/receive (TX/RX) radio frequency (RF) coil with integrated shimming

AssigneeQuality Electrodynamics, LLC

InventorsXiaoyu Yang, Haoqin Zhu, Tsinghua Zheng, Labros Petropoulos

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Abstract

A single-layer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil array configured to operate in a transmit (Tx) mode or in a receive (Rx) mode comprises at least one single-layer MRI RF coil array element configured to provide integrated B0 field shimming. The at least one single-layer MRI RF coil array element includes a resonant LC coil, a matching Tx/Rx switch circuit, a magnitude/phase control component, and a preamplifier. The LC coil, upon resonating with a primary coil at the working frequency, generates a local amplified Tx field based on an induced current in the LC coil. The magnitude/phase control component is configured to independently adjust a magnitude or a phase of the induced current. The at least one single-layer MRI RF coil element may include a Tx field monitoring component configured to monitor the strength or phase of the local amplified Tx field.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A single-layer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil array element configured to operate in a transmit (Tx) mode and a receive (Rx) mode, the single-layer MRI RF coil array element comprising:

an LC coil;
a matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit operably connected to the LC coil;
a preamplifier operably connected to the matching and Tx/Rx circuit;
and
a magnitude/phase control component operably connected to the LC coil;
where the LC coil includes:
at least one inductor, at least one capacitor, and at least one RF choke, where the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor resonate at a first frequency, and where the at least one RF choke is connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor, where the at least one RF choke connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor, and the at least one inductor, provide a current path for a DC B0 shimming current;
a first injection point capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, where a first injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the first terminal, and where a second injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the second terminal;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Tx mode, electrically isolates the LC coil from the preamplifier upon the LC coil resonating with a primary coil, where the primary coil has a working frequency;
where the LC coil, upon resonating with the primary coil, generates a local amplified Tx field based on an induced current in the LC coil, the induced current generated by inductive coupling between the LC coil and the primary coil;
where a magnitude of the induced current or a phase of the induced current is independently adjustable;
where the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current is configured to be varied over a range of magnitudes or phases respectively;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Rx mode, electrically connects the LC coil with the preamplifier;
where the magnitude/phase control component is configured to adjust the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current;
and
where, upon a DC B0 shimming current being injected into the LC coil through the first injection point RF choke or the second injection point RF choke, the DC B0 shimming current flowing through the LC coil generates a local B0 magnetic field for B0 field shimming.

13 more elements

A single-layer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil array configured to operate in a transmit (Tx) mode or in a receive (Rx) mode, the coil array comprising:

a plurality of single-layer MRI RF coil array elements, a single-layer MRI RF coil array element comprising:
an LC coil;
a matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit operably connected to the LC coil;
a preamplifier operably connected to the matching and Tx/Rx circuit;
and
a magnitude/phase control component operably connected to the LC coil;
where the LC coil includes:
at least one inductor, at least one capacitor, and at least one RF choke, where the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor resonate at a first frequency, and where the at least one RF choke is connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor, where the at least one RF choke connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor and the at least one inductor provide a current path for a DC B0 shimming current;
a first injection point capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, where a first injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the first terminal, and a second injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the second terminal;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Tx mode, electrically isolates the LC coil from the preamplifier upon the LC coil resonating with a primary coil, where the primary coil has a working frequency;
where the LC coil, upon resonating with the primary coil, generates a local amplified Tx field based on an induced current in the LC coil, the induced current generated by inductive coupling between the LC coil and the primary coil;
where a magnitude of the induced current or a phase of the induced current is independently adjustable;
where the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current is configured to be varied over a range of magnitudes or phases respectively;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Rx mode, electrically connects the LC coil with the preamplifier;
where the magnitude/phase control component is configured to adjust the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current;
and
where, upon a DC B0 shimming current being injected into the LC coil through the first injection point RF choke or the second injection point RF choke, the DC B0 shimming current flowing through the LC coil generates a local B0 magnetic field for B0 field shimming.

14 more elements

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, comprising:

a controller;
a primary coil connected to the controller;
and
a single-layer MRI radio frequency (RF) coil array operably connected to the controller, where the single-layer MRI RF coil array is configured to operate in a transmit (Tx) or a receive (Rx) mode, where the MRI RF coil array includes at least one RF coil element;
where the controller provides the primary coil with a current, a voltage, or a control signal, and
where a member of the at least one RF coil element comprises:
an LC coil;
a matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit operably connected to the LC coil;
a preamplifier operably connected to the matching and Tx/Rx circuit;
and
a magnitude/phase control component operably connected to the LC coil;
where the LC coil includes:
at least one inductor, at least one capacitor, and at least one RF choke connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor, where the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor resonate at a first frequency, where the at least one RF choke connected in parallel with the at least one capacitor and the at least one inductor provide a current path for a DC B0 shimming current;
a first injection point capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, where a first injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the first terminal, and a second injection point RF choke is connected at a first end to the second terminal;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Tx mode, electrically isolates the LC coil from the preamplifier upon the LC coil resonating with a primary coil, where the primary coil has a working frequency;
where the LC coil, upon resonating with the primary coil, generates a local amplified Tx field based on an induced current in the LC coil, the induced current generated by inductive coupling between the LC coil and the primary coil;
where a magnitude of the induced current or a phase of the induced current is independently adjustable;
where the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current is configured to be varied over a range of magnitudes or phases respectively;
where the matching and Tx/Rx switch circuit, when operating in Rx mode, electrically connects the LC coil with the preamplifier;
where the magnitude/phase control component is configured to adjust the magnitude of the induced current or the phase of the induced current;
and
where, upon a DC B0 shimming current being injected into the LC coil through the first injection point RF choke or the second injection point RF choke, the DC B0 shimming current flowing through the LC coil generates a local B0 magnetic field for B0 field shimming.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/964,390Filed 27 Apr 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 28 Apr 2017
Published: US 2018/0313918 A11 Nov 2018
Granted: 12 May 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G01R 33/3628
Electrical details, e.g. matching or coupling of the coil to the receiver: tuning/matching of the transmit/receive coil
G01R 33/34007
Constructional details, e.g. resonators , specially adapted to MR: manufacture of RF coils, e.g. using printed circuit board technology;…
G01R 33/3415
Comprising surface coils: comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels
G01R 33/36
Excitation or detection systems, e.g. using radio frequency signals: electrical details, e.g. matching or coupling of the coil to the receiver