Wide aperture gradient set

A gradient magnetic field coil assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, the gradient field coil assembly comprising:

• a central cylindrical region of a first, smaller circumference;
• an end region adjacent at least one end of the central region having a second, larger circumference, the second circumference being larger than the first circumference;
• the smaller circumference central cylindrical region and the larger circumferential end region both being circularly symmetric;
• a gradient coil for generating magnetic field gradients within the smaller circumferential central cylindrical portion, the gradient field coil having windings on both the smaller circumferential central cylindrical region and the larger circumferential end region.

A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

• a primary magnetic field assembly for generating a temporally constant magnetic field through a central bore thereof;
• a whole body gradient coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• a radio frequency coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• a head coil removably mounted in the central bore, the head coil including:
• a plurality of gradient coil windings which extend around a first cylindrical portion of a first circumference and around at least a second portion of a second circumference, which second circumference is larger than the first circumference, the second circumference portion being mounted to a patient receiving end of the head gradient coil, and
• an RF coil winding disposed within at least the first cylindrical portion;
• a magnetic resonance excitation and reconstruction means for controlling the radio frequency and insertable gradient coils for inducing magnetic resonance within the first cylindrical portion and for receiving magnetic resonance signals therefrom and for reconstructing the received magnetic resonance signals into an image representation.

A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

• a primary magnetic field assembly for generating a temporally constant magnetic field through a central bore thereof:
• a whole body gradient coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• a radio frequency coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• a head coil removably mounted in the central bore, and head coil including:
• a plurality of gradient coil windings disposed on (i) a first cylindrical portion having first and second ends, (ii) a second portion connected to the first cylindrical portion first end and being flared outward to a larger circumference than the first cylindrical portion, and (iii) a third portion connected to the second end of the first cylindrical portion and being flared outward to a larger circumference than the first cylindrical portion, the gradient coil windings being disposed symmetrically on the first, second, and third portions such interactions of the temporally constant magnetic field and electric current pulses in the gradient coil winding induce no net torque on the head coil, and
• an RF coil winding disposed within at least the first cylindrical portion;
• a magnetic resonance excitation and reconstruction means for controlling the radio frequency and insertable gradient coils for inducing magnetic resonance within the first cylindrical portion and for receiving magnetic resonance signals therefrom and for reconstructing the received magnetic resonance signals into an image representation.

A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

• a primary magnetic field assembly for generating a temporally constant magnetic field through a central bore thereof;
• a whole body gradient coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• a radio frequency coil assembly disposed around the central bore;
• head gradient coil removably mounted in the central bore, the head coil including:
• at least four thumbprint pattern coil segments which extend at least in part around a cylindrical first portion of a first circumference, at least two of the thumbprint pattern coil segments each extending in part over about one quadrant of the first portion and each extending in part over a second portion of a second circumference, which second circumference is larger than the first circumference, the second circumference portion being mounted toward a patient receiving end of the head gradient coil, and
• an RF coil winding disposed within at least the first cylindrical portion;
• a magnetic resonance excitation and reconstruction means for controlling the radio frequency and insertable gradient coils for inducing magnetic resonance within the first cylindrical portion and for receiving magnetic resonance signals therefrom and for reconstructing the received magnetic resonance signals into an image representation.