Automatic coil selection of multi-receiver MR data using fast prescan data analysis

A computer program having a set of instructions that when executed by a computer causes the computer to:

• analyze prescan data acquired from activating a number of phased array coils during a preliminary MR scan;
• extract a relative intensity of each coil from the prescan data;
• and
• determine, from the relative intensity of each coil, a number of phased array coils to activate to acquire reconstruction imaging data during a reconstruction imaging scan.

An MRI apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet to impress a polarizing magnetic field and an RF transceiver systesm and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to a phased array coil assembly to acquire MR images;
• and
• a computer programmed to:
• initialize a fast MR scan using a plurality of coils in the phased array coil assembly;
• acquire fast scan imaging data of a desired FOV wherein the fast scan imaging data includes at least one k-space line of data for each of the plurality of coils in the phased array coil assembly;
• determine a relative position of each of the plurality of coils with respect to the desired FOV based only on the at least one k-space line of data;
• and
• select and initialize only a number of coils from the plurality of coils for image acquisition and reconstruction based on the relative positions of each coil to optimize SNR in the desired FOV.

An MRI device for improved image reconstruction comprising:

• means for initializing a fast prescan and acquiring k-space data that includes at least one k-space data line for each of a plurality of MR coils;
• means for determining an index gauge for at least one k-space data line acquired for each coil;
• means for comparing the index gauges dynamically;
• and
• means for automatically selecting/deselecting a number of MR coils to activate for image data acquisition based on the comparison.