# US 2015/0323620 A1 · Coaxial Cable Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) Coil

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- Number: US 2015/0323620 A1
- Document ID: US20150323620A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/270,399
- Filed: 2014-05-06
- Published: 2015-11-12
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-06
- Assignees: Qed
- Applicants: Qed, LLC
- Inventors: Xiaoyu Yang; Tsinghua Zheng; Yong Wu; Matthew Finnerty
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150323620A1

## CPC

- G01R 33/341: comprising surface coils
- G01R 33/34: Constructional details, e.g. resonators {, specially adapted to MR}
- G01R 33/3628: {Tuning/matching of the transmit/receive coil}
- G01R 33/543: {Control of the operation of the MR system, e.g. setting of acquisition parameters prior to or during MR data acquisition, dynamic shimming, use of one or more scout images for scan plane prescription (G01R33/546 takes precedence)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

Example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coils are described. An MRI RF coil may include a first terminal and a second terminal that are connected by a coaxial cable. Rather than rely exclusively on two terminal passive components (e.g., resistor, inductor, capacitor), example coax MRI RF coils rely on the capacitance that can be created in the coax cable between the inner conductor and the outer conductor. The capacitance of the coil may be controlled by selectively disrupting (e.g., cutting, stripping) the outer conductor, the inner conductor, or the dielectric material disposed between the inner and outer conductor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil, comprising:
a first terminal;
a second terminal; and
a coaxial cable that connects the first terminal and the second terminal,
where an inner conductor of the coaxial cable is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal, and
where an outer conductor of the coaxial cable is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where a dielectric spacer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where a dielectric spacer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the number of locations at which the outer conductor is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the size of a location at which the outer conductor is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the shape of a location at which the outer conductor is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The MRI RF coil of claim 3, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the number of locations at which the dielectric spacer is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the size of a location at which the dielectric spacer is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, where the capacitance of the RF coil is controlled by the shape of a location at which the dielectric spacer is disrupted between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, comprising a tuning capacitor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The MRI RF coil of claim 10, comprising a matching capacitor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, comprising an inductor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The MRI RF coil of claim 1, comprising a control circuit that controls a current or voltage presented to the RF coil.

### Claim 14

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil, comprising:
a first terminal;
a second terminal; and
a coaxial cable that connects the first terminal and the second terminal,
where an inner conductor of the coaxial cable is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal,
where an outer conductor of the coaxial cable is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal, and
where a dielectric spacer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 15

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil, comprising:
a first terminal;
a second terminal; and
a coaxial cable that connects the first terminal and the second terminal,
where an inner conductor of the coaxial cable is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal,
where an outer conductor of the coaxial cable is continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal, and
where a dielectric spacer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 16

An MRI apparatus, comprising:
a controller, and
an RF coil operably connected to the controller,
where the controller provides the RF coil with a current, a voltage, or a control signal, and
where the coil comprises:
a first terminal;
a second terminal; and
a coaxial cable that connects the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The MRI apparatus of claim 16, where an inner conductor of the coaxial cable is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The MRI apparatus of claim 16, where an outer conductor of the coaxial cable is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The MRI apparatus of claim 16, where a dielectric spacer disposed between an inner conductor of the coaxial cable and an outer conductor of the coaxial cable is not continuous between the first terminal and the second terminal.

### Claim 20

An MRI apparatus, comprising:
a controller, and
an RF coil operably connected to the controller,
where the controller provides the RF coil with a current, a voltage, or a control signal, and
where the coil comprises:
a first terminal;
a second terminal; and
a transmission line that connects the first terminal and the second terminal, where the transmission line comprises two conductors separated by a dielectric spacer, where one of the two conductors is not continuous from the first terminal to the second terminal.