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US 2007/0164746 A1Published application
Optical interface for local MRI coils
AssigneeInvivo Corporation
InventorsJovan Jevtic, Nunez Tatum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implementation of an optical transmission path for NMR signals from local coils in magnetic resonance imaging employs a photomodulator that may be incorporated into a connecting optical cable to be shared among multiple local coils and to provide for connection and disconnection at an electrical interface eliminating the need for optical connectors.
Claims24
A local coil system for MRI imaging comprising:
- a support structure positionable adjacent to a patient;
- at least one resonant electrical loop antenna attached to the support structure for receiving NMR electrical signals from the patient;
- a first electrical connector attached to the support structure and receiving the NMR electrical signals;
- a second electrical connector connectable to the first electrical connector to receive the NMR electrical signals therefrom, the second electrical connector having a photomodulator converting the NMR electrical signals to optical signals;
- and
- an optical cable attached at a first end to the photomodulator to receive the optical signals;
- and
- a photodemodulator attached to a second end of the optical cable for receiving the optical signals and converting them back to NMR electrical signals for communication to an MRI machine.
5 more elements
An optical interface for MRI local coils comprising:
- an optical cable containing at least one optical fiber having a first and second end without intervening connectors;
- an electrical connector at the first end adapted to attach to a MRI local coil to receive electrical NMR signals therefrom, the electrical NMR signal including a photomodulator receiving the electrical NMR signals and converting them to optical signals coupled to the first end of the optical cable;
- and
- a photodemodulator attached to the second end for receiving the optical signals and converting them to electrical signals for communication to the MRI machine.
1 more element
A kit comprising:
- at least two MRI local coils providing a support structure positionable adjacent to a patient, at least one resonant electrical loop antenna attached to the support structure for receiving NMR electrical signals from the patient;
- a first electrical connector attached to the support structure and receiving the NMR electrical signals;
- an optical cable having a second electrical connector connectable to the first electrical connectors of the MRI local coils to receive the NMR electrical signals therefrom, the second electrical connector further having a photomodulator converting the NMR electrical signals and converting them to optical signals, an optical cable attached at a first end to the photomodulator to receive the optical signals;
- and
- a photodemodulator attached to a second end of the optical cable for receiving the optical signals and converting them back to NMR electrical signals for communication to an MRI machine.
2 more elements
An adapter for optically linked MRI local coils comprising:
- an adapter base station having an first electrical connector attachable to a corresponding second connector on an MRI machine, the second connector intended for receiving electrical NMR signals from local coils, the adapter base station including a photodemodulator attached to a first end of an optical cable for receiving the optical signals and converting them to NMR electrical signals for communication to the MRI machine via the first and second connectors;
- and
- a third electrical connector connectable to a fourth electrical connector on an optically enabled MRI coil to receive the NMR electrical signals therefrom, the third electrical connector further having a photomodulator converting the NMR electrical signals and converting them to optical signals on the optical cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.