Method of optimized gradient coil design

A method of designing an axial gradient coil having a primary coil and a shield coil for use in magnetic resonance imaging which comprises:

• a) defining at least one performance characteristic of said axial gradient coil;
• b) concurrently varying at least two parameters within at least one equation, wherein each result of said varied at least two parameters within said at least on equation produces a different hypothetical axial gradient coil design;
• c) evaluating at least one performance characteristic of each hypothetical axial gradient coil design produced by the varied parameters;
• and
• d) selecting one of said hypothetical axial gradient coil designs.

A method of designing a transverse gradient coil for use in magnetic resonance imaging which comprises:

• a) defining at least one performance characteristic of said transverse gradient coil;
• b) concurrently varying discretization parameters σ and Δ within Equation Z, wherein σ is varied between the values of 0 and 1, wherein Equation X is
• φ=Φn(z),
• wherein Equation Y is
• Φn(z)=arccos(Sn/fz(z)),
• wherein Equation Z is
• S
• n
• =
• n
• -
• σ
• N
• 
• (
• f
• z
• 
• (
• z
• eye
• )
• -
• Δ
• )
• and wherein Equation Z is used to solve Equation Y, and Equation Y is used to solve Equation X, further wherein fz(z) is the z-component of the continuous current density, zeye is the position where the φ-component of the continuous current density is equal zero, N is the number of loops in one quadrant of the coil, and n is an integer wherein 1≦n≦N, and wherein each set of varied discretization parameters produces a different hypothetical transverse gradient coil design;
• c) evaluating at least one performance characteristic of each hypothetical transverse gradient coil design produced by the varied discretization parameters;
• and
• d) selecting one of said hypothetical transverse gradient coil designs.

A method of designing a transverse gradient coil for use in magnetic resonance imaging which comprises:

• a) defining at least one performance characteristic of said transverse gradient coil;
• b) concurrently varying at least two parameters within at least one equation wherein each set of varied parameters produces a different hypothetical transverse gradient coil design;
• c) evaluating at least one performance characteristic of each hypothetical transverse gradient coil design produced by the varied parameters;
• and
• d) selecting one of said hypothetical transverse gradient coil designs.