Back to results
US 2008/0278166 A1Published application
Superconducting Loop, Saddle and Birdcage Mri Coils
AssigneeUniversity of Houston
InventorsJaroslaw Wosik, Krzysztof Nesteruk, Lei Ming P Xie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
New MRI coil and resonators are disclosed based solely on superconducting inductive element and built-in capacitive elements as well as hybrid superconducting-metal inductive and capacitive elements having superior SNR. Single and multiple small animal MRI imaging units are also disclosed including one or more resonators of this invention surrounding one or more small animal cavities. Methods for making and using the MRI coils and/or arrays are also disclosed.
Claims42
An MRI coil apparatus comprising:
- four members, each member including a superconducting layer, where the members are arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions, and
- separating dielectric layers interposed between the superconducting layers at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors.
A hybrid MRI coil apparatus comprising:
- two superconducting members, each member including a superconducting layer,
- two metal member, and
- separating dielectric layers,
- where the superconducting members and the metal member are arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions and the separating dielectric layers are interposed between the superconducting layers and the metal members at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors.
1 more element
The apparatus of 11, further comprising:
- a metal layer formed on an exposed portion of a dielectric layer or a external dielectric layer formed form on an exposed portion of a superconducting layer with a metal layer formed on the outer surface of the external dielectric layer to form coupling or decoupling capacitive elements.
A birdcage-type resonator apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of coils apparatus including:
- four members, each member including a superconducting layer, where the members arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions, and
- separating dielectric layers interposed between the superconducting layers at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors, and
- at least one small animal cavity,
- where the coil apparatus are arranged around the cavity to permit MRI imaging of an animal placed within the cavity.
2 more elements
The apparatus of 21, wherein the members are straight.
A birdcage-type resonator apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of coils apparatus including:
- two superconducting members, each member including a superconducting layer,
- two metal member, and
- separating dielectric layers, and
- at least one small animal cavity,
- where the coil apparatus are arranged around the cavity to permit MRI imaging of an animal placed within the cavity and where the superconducting members and the metal member are arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions and the separating dielectric layers are interposed between the superconducting layers and the metal members at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors.
3 more elements
The apparatus of 31, further comprising:
- a metal layer formed on an exposed portion of a dielectric layer or a external dielectric layer formed form on an exposed portion of a superconducting layer with a metal layer formed on the outer surface of the external dielectric layer to form coupling or decoupling capacitive elements.
A small animal MRI apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum housing including at least one cylindrical cavity adapted to receive a small animal,
- a coolant reservoir including a coolant, a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet and a cold plate forming an internal end of the reservoir,
- a resonator surrounding each cavity to permit MRI imaging of an animal in each of the cavities, where the resonator comprises:
- a plurality of coils apparatus including:
- four members, each member including a superconducting layer, where the members arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions, and
- separating dielectric lavers interposed between the superconducting layers at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors, and
- at least one small animal cavity
- where the coil apparatus are arranged around the cavity to permit MRI imaging of an animal placed within the cavity.
5 more elements
A small animal MRI apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum housing including at least one cylindrical cavity adapted to receive a small animal,
- a coolant reservoir including a coolant, a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet and a cold plate forming an internal end of the reservoir,
- a plurality of coils positioned within the housing to permit MRI imaging of an animal in each of the cavities, where the each coil comprises:
- four members, each member including a superconducting layer, where the members are arranged to form a closed shape having four overlapping regions, and
- separating dielectric layers interposed between the superconducting layers at the overlapping regions to form built-in capacitors.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.