Degenerate birdcage resonator for magnetic resonance imaging

A degenerate birdcage resonator for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:

• a pair of opposing rings and a plurality of rungs positioned circumferentially around said pair of rings;
• means for applying excitation radio frequency (RF) energy to the degenerate birdcage resonator such that a homogeneous RF field is established within the degenerate birdcage resonator;
• and
• means for independently reading each of a plurality of resonance modes of RF energy received by the degenerate birdcage resonator from an object placed therewithin.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

• a computer;
• a magnet assembly for generating a polarizing magnetic field;
• a gradient coil assembly for applying gradient waveforms to said polarizing magnetic field along selected gradient axes;
• and
• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver system for applying RF energy to excite nuclear spins of an object to be imaged, and for thereafter detecting signals generated by excited nuclei of said object to be imaged, said RF transceiver system further comprising:
• a degenerate birdcage coil having a pair of opposing rings and a plurality of rungs positioned circumferentially around said pair of rings;
• input excitation circuitry for applying excitation radio frequency (RF) energy to said degenerate birdcage coil at a first resonance mode thereof;
• and
• output receiving circuitry for receiving RF energy emitted by said object to be imaged, positioned within said degenerate birdcage coil, said output receiving circuitry receiving said emitted RF energy at a plurality of resonance modes of said degenerate birdcage coil, including said first resonance mode;
• wherein said RF energy received by said output receiving circuitry is processed by said computer to produce MR images of said object to be imaged.