Receive coil for MRI breast imaging

A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) support structure for imaging a human breast region of a patient, the method comprising:

• laying an anterior side of the patient on a housing including a top portion, a bottom portion, a left support portion, and a right support portion wherein the top portion, bottom portion, and left support portion define a left cup opening;
• and the top portion, bottom portion, and right support portion define a right cup opening;
• positioning a medial grid plate holder at a medial position relative to a breast of the patient, the medial grid plate holder holding a medial grid plate;
• positioning the breast of the patient within one of the left cup opening and the right cup opening;
• positioning a lateral grid plate holder at a lateral position relative to the breast, the lateral grid plate holder holding a lateral grid plate;
• and
• compressing the breast between the medial grid plate and the lateral grid plate, wherein compressing the breast comprises:
• ratcheting the lateral grid plate holder along a rail system in a medial direction;
• holding the medial grid plate holder in a static position;
• and
• activating a release mechanism to allow movement of the lateral grid plate holder in a lateral direction;
• wherein the release mechanism comprises a latch positioned between a first ratchet tooth and a second ratchet tooth to prevent rotation of a ratchet gear in a direction, and activating the release mechanism comprises removing the latch from between the first ratchet tooth and the second ratchet tooth such that the ratchet gear is allowed to rotate in the direction.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) support structure for imaging a human breast region of a patient, said support structure comprising:

• a housing comprising a top portion and a bottom portion;
• a rail system connected to the bottom portion of the housing, the rail system comprising a plurality of rails oriented in a lateral-medial direction, each of the plurality of rails comprising a plurality of rail teeth;
• and
• a lateral grid plate holder comprising a plurality of ratchets configured to engage with each of the plurality of rails, respectively, each of the ratchets comprising:
• a ratchet gear having ratchet teeth engaged with the rail teeth;
• and
• a release mechanism comprising a latch and a push button, wherein:
• the release mechanism is in a lock position when the latch is engaged with the ratchet teeth;
• the release mechanism is in a release position when the latch is disengaged from the ratchet teeth;
• and
• pushing the push button moves the release mechanism from the lock position to the release position-;
• wherein a lateral grid plate held by the lateral grid plate holder is moveable in a vertical direction.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) support structure for imaging a breast region of a patient, said support structure comprising:

• a housing including a top portion, a bottom portion, a left support portion, and a right support portion wherein
• the top portion, bottom portion, and left support portion define a left cup opening;
• and
• the top portion, bottom portion, and right support portion define a right cup opening;
• a rail system comprising a plurality of rails each coupled to a bottom surface of the top portion wherein each of the plurality of rails extends in a lateral-medial direction along each of a head side and a foot side of at least one of the left cup opening and the right cup opening;
• a lateral grid plate holder comprising a ratchet mechanism engaged with the rail system and configured to ratchet along the rail system in a medial direction;
• and
• a medical grid plate holder coupled to a top surface of the bottom portion.