Single coaxial interface for magnetic resonace (mr) coils

A method for tuning or detuning an MR coil array including one or more coil channels, each corresponding to a coil element, the MR coil array connected to an external system or device using a coaxial transmission line, the method comprising:

• powering at least one active component of the MR coil array by a power signal carried on the coaxial transmission line, the voltage of the power signal varying between first and second direct current (DC) voltages of the same polarity;
• and
• tuning or detuning a coil element of the MR coil array corresponding to one of the coil channels by a tune/detune circuit of the MR coil array, wherein the tune/detune circuit tunes or detunes the coil element based on the first and second DC voltages of the power signal and is connected to the coaxial transmission line.

A magnetic resonance (MR) system including an MR coil array including one or more coil channels, each corresponding to a coil element, the MR coil array connected to an external system or device (30) using a coaxial transmission line and comprising:

• a tune/detune circuit of the MR coil array tuning or detuning a coil element of the MR coil array based on a power signal carried on the coaxial transmission line, the voltage of the power signal varying between first and second direct current (DC) voltages of the same polarity to indicate a tune or detune state;
• and
• a driver circuit connecting the MR coil array to an external MR receiver, the driver circuit adding the power signal to the coaxial transmission line by selecting between two power sources based on a tune/detune command, each power source providing a different direct current (DC) voltage of the same polarity as the other.