# US 2014/0197833 A1 · Radio frequency (rf) coil device, magnetic resonance apparatus employing the rf coil device, and method of operating the rf coil device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197833 A1 - Document ID: US20140197833A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/101,999 - Filed: 2013-12-10 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yeunchul Ryu; Young Beom Kim; Jaemock Yi; Seong-deok Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197833A1 ## CPC - G01R 33/34084: {implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts} - G01R 33/288: {Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room} - G01R 33/34046: {Volume type coils, e.g. bird-cage coils; Quadrature bird-cage coils; Circularly polarised coils} - G01R 33/341: comprising surface coils - G01R 33/3415: comprising arrays of sub-coils {, i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels} - G01R 33/3453: {Transverse electromagnetic [TEM] coils} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract a radio frequency (RF) coil device includes a plurality of RF coil elements configured to generate an RF magnetic field, and a support member configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radio frequency (RF) coil device comprising: a plurality of RF coil elements configured to generate an RF magnetic field; and a support member configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The RF coil device of claim 1, wherein the support member has a cylindrical shape and is configured to be disposed on an inner surface of a cylindrical housing of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus; and the plurality of RF coil elements are arranged along a circumference of the support member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The RF coil device of claim 2, wherein the support member is further configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable along the circumference of the support member to adjust spacings on the circumference between the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements and other ones of the plurality of RF coil elements that neighbor the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The RF coil device of claim 2, wherein the support member is further configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is detachable from the support member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The RF coil device of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of RF coil elements comprises a conductor extending in a length direction of the cylindrical housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The RF coil device of claim 2, wherein each of the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements comprises a plurality of sub-elements arranged in a length direction of the cylindrical housing; and the support member is further configured to support the plurality of sub-elements so that at least one of the plurality of sub-elements of each of the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable in the length direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The RF coil device of claim 1, wherein the support member has a cylindrical or semicylindrical shape configured to surround a part of a target; and the plurality of RF coil elements are arranged along a circumference of the support member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The RF coil device of claim 7, wherein the support member is further configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable along the circumference of the support member to adjust spacings on the circumference between the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements and other ones of the plurality of RF coil elements that neighbor the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The RF coil device of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a plurality of support blocks configured to support respective ones of the plurality of RF coil elements; and the plurality of support blocks are connected together to form a two-dimensional surface configured to cover a part of a target. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The RF coil device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of support blocks is connected to at another one of the plurality of support blocks so that a spacing between the at least one of the plurality of support blocks and the other one of the plurality of support blocks on the two-dimensional surface of the support member is adjustable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The RF coil device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of support blocks is connected to another one of the plurality of support blocks so that a distance between the at least one of the plurality of support blocks and the target is adjustable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The RF coil device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RF coil elements are further configured to be independently operable in a multi-channel coil mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The RF coil device of claim 1, further comprising a driver and controller configured to drive and control the plurality of RF coil elements; wherein the driver and controller is further configured to independently control a magnitude and a phase of power input to the plurality of RF coil based on positions of the plurality of RF coil elements relative to one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The RF coil device of claim 13, further comprising a probe configured to measure a strength of an RF magnetic field generated by the plurality of RF coil elements; wherein the driver and controller is further configured to predict a specific absorption rate (SAR) of a target based on the strength of the RF magnetic field measured by the probe. ### Claim 15 A magnetic resonance apparatus comprising: a main magnet; and a radio frequency (RF) coil device; wherein the RF coil device comprises: a plurality of RF coil elements configured to generate an RF magnetic field; and a support member configured to support the plurality of RF coil elements so that at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is movable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The magnetic resonance apparatus of claim 15, wherein the magnetic resonance apparatus is an magnetic resonance imaging apparatus or a magnetic resonance spectroscopy apparatus. ### Claim 17 A method of driving and controlling a radio frequency (RF) coil device, the RF coil device comprising a plurality of RF coil elements configured to generate an RF magnetic field, and a driver and controller configured to drive and control the plurality of RF coil elements, the method comprising: predicting a specific absorption rate (SAR) of a target with the plurality of RF coil elements positioned at basic positions; and adjusting a position of at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements in response to the predicted SAR being higher than a maximum permissible SAR. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising predicting an SAR of the target with the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements at the adjusted position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting of a position of the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements comprises adjusting a distance between the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements and the target. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting of a position of the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements comprises adjusting a spacing between the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements and at least one other one of the plurality of RF coil elements that neighbors the at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements. ### Claim 21 A radio frequency (RF) coil device comprising: a plurality of RF coil elements configured to have a changeable configuration and generate an RF magnetic field. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The RF coil device of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is configured to be movable to change the configuration of the plurality of RF coil elements. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The RF coil device of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of RF coil elements is configured to be detachable from the RF coil device to change the configuration of the plurality of RF coil elements. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The RF coil device of claim 21, wherein the changeable configuration of the plurality of RF coil elements enables a specific absorption rate (SAR) of a target produced by the RF magnetic field generated by the plurality of coil elements to be adjusted by changing the configuration of the plurality of RF coil elements.