Self-tuning liquid metal RF coil and coil array for MRI
AssigneeCornell University
InventorsElizaveta Motovilova, Simone Angela Winkler
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Abstract
A single or multiple self-tuning coil element for an MR imaging system is provided. The element is flexible and stretchable and may conform to various body parts and patient sizes. The element may be worn by the patient during the MR imaging session. Each coil may have one or more interdigital capacitors formed of flexible conductive traces. The capacitance of the interdigital capacitor(s) changes under stretching which provides the self-tuning. The traces may be made of liquid metal. The liquid metal may be doped with a contrast agent such that the coil is substantially invisible on an MR image. The coil(s) in a multiple coil element may be arranged in a single or a dual layer.
Claims18
A RF coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner comprising:
- a first flexible conductive trace;
- and
- a second flexible conductive trace, one end of the first flexible conductive trace and a corresponding end of the second flexible conductive trace shaped to form an interdigital capacitor,
- respective other ends of the first flexible conductive trace and the second flexible conductive trace are connectable with the MRI scanner through one or more circuits including tuning/matching circuitry and a preamplifier,
- wherein the RF coil is stretchable by at least 30% in a first direction orthogonal to digits of the interdigital capacitor and change in resonance frequency under stretching of 30% is less than 2% from the resonance frequency of the RF coil not stretched.
An RF coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner comprising:
- a plurality of flexible conductive traces comprising a first flexible conductive trace, a second flexible conductive trace and a third flexible conductive trace,
- one end of the first flexible conductive trace and a corresponding end of the second flexible conductive trace shaped to form a first interdigital capacitor,
- the other end of the second flexible conductive trace and a corresponding end of the third flexible conductive trace shaped to form a second interdigital capacitor, the first interdigital capacitor being orthogonal to the second interdigital capacitor;
- the other end of the first flexible conductive trace connectable with the MRI scanner through one or more circuits including tuning/matching circuitry and a preamplifier;
- and
- the other end of the third flexible conductive trace being connectable with the MRI scanner through one or more circuits including tuning/matching circuitry and a preamplifier.
A coil array comprising a plurality of coils, each of the plurality of coils comprising:
- a first flexible conductive trace;
- and
- a second flexible conductive trace, one end of the first flexible conductive trace and a corresponding end of the second flexible conductive trace shaped to form an interdigital capacitor,
- respective other ends of the first flexible conductive trace and the second flexible conductive trace are connectable with the MRI scanner through one or more circuits including tuning/matching circuitry and a preamplifier,
- wherein the coil array is stretchable by at least 30% in a first direction orthogonal to digits of the interdigital capacitor in each coil and a change in resonance frequency under stretching of 30% is less than 2% from the resonance frequency of the coil array not stretched.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.