Hybrid MR/PET Scanner With Patient Table Split Cable Feed

A hybrid magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system comprising:

• a PET scanning system having a PET scanning field of view;
• an MR scanning system having an MR scanning field of view overlapping at least a portion of the PET scanning field of view;
• a patient table having front and back ends, the table translatable from a first position outside the respective scanning fields to a second position wherein at least a portion of the table mediate the ends is inside the respective scanning fields;
• first and second MR local coil connectors coupled respectively to the table proximal the respective front and back ends, adapted for connection to an MR local coil oriented on the table during an MR imaging scan;
• and
• first and second MR local coil cables coupled to the MR scanning system and respectively to the first and second MR local coil connectors;
• the cables having radio frequency (RF) shielding surrounding same and oriented with respect to the imaging system so that:
• the first cable passes through the PET scanning field of view when the patient table is in the first position and remains outside the PET scanning field of view when the patient table is in the second position;
• and
• the second cable remains outside the PET scanning field in either patient table position.

In a hybrid magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system having:

• overlapping PET and MR scanning fields of view with first and second terminating sides thereof;
• a patient table having a front end translatable through the overlapping fields to the second terminating side thereof, and a back end;
• and first and second local coil connectors coupled to the MR imaging system and the table, the connectors adapted for connection to an MR local coil oriented on the table during an MR imaging scan, a method for reducing image artifacts during a PET scan comprising:
• mounting the first and second MR local coil connectors respectively to the table proximal the respective front and back ends;
• coupling the first local coil connector to the MR scanning system with a first RF-shielded MR local coil cable routed through the overlapping fields of view to the second terminating side;
• coupling the second local coil connector to the MR scanning system with a second RF-shielded MR local coil cable routed outside the overlapping fields of view;
• and
• translating the table front end through the overlapping scanning fields, so that the first MR local coil connector and first MR local coil cable are on the second terminating side thereof.

A hybrid magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system comprising:

• a PET scanning system having a PET scanning field of view with first and second terminating sides thereof;
• an MR scanning system having an MR scanning field of view;
• a patient table having:
• a front end translatable through the PET scan field of view to the second terminating side thereof, and a back end, a first local coil connector coupled to the MR imaging system proximal the table front end, the connector adapted for connection to an MR local coil oriented on the table during an MR imaging scan;
• and
• a first MR local coil cable, translatable with the table, coupled to the MR scanning system and the first MR local coil connector, said cable oriented so that it is outside the PET scan field of view when the patient table front end is translated to the second terminating side thereof.