Dome-shaped resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy

A dual-frequency radiofrequency resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of a patient, comprising:

• an end ring conductor with a central axis;
• eight substantially equal length leg conductors with respective first ends, second ends, and midpoints, each of the respective first ends being electrically joined to the end ring conductor at positions spaced substantially 45 degrees apart from one another, each of the eight leg conductors being substantially parallel with the central axis and each of the respective second ends of the eight leg conductors terminating on the same side of the end ring conductor;
• four dome conductors having respective midpoints and two endpoints, an endpoint of each dome conductor being electrically joined to respective second ends of pairs of leg conductors spaced 135/225 degrees apart from one another, whereby each dome conductor is connected to two of said leg conductors and whereby each leg conductor is connected to one dome conductor;
• wherein each midpoint of each dome conductor is a respective predetermined distance from the end ring conductor, said predetermined distances being greater than a distance between the first and second ends of the leg conductors, whereby the dome conductors form a dome shape, each of said four dome conductors intersecting two of said four dome conductors at two intersection points and each of said four dome conductors that intersect each of said two dome conductors being electrically joined to said two intersecting dome conductors at said intersection points;
• a first gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a first pair of said eight leg conductors, each leg conductor of said first pair of leg conductors being spaced 45/315 degrees apart from one another, said first pair of leg conductors being connected to a second pair of said eight leg conductors, said second pair of leg conductors being spaced 180 degrees away from said first pair of leg conductors and being connected to said first pair of leg conductors by a first respective pair of said four dome conductors;
• a first trap circuit bridging said first gap in said end ring conductor, said first trap circuit including a first trap inductor and a first trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a second gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the second pair of leg conductors spaced 180 degrees from the first pair of leg conductors;
• a second trap circuit bridging said second gap in said end ring conductor, said second trap circuit including a second trap inductor and a second trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a third gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a third pair of said eight leg conductors, each leg conductor of said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 45/315 degrees apart, said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 90/270 degrees from said first pair of leg conductors and said second pair of leg conductors, said third pair of leg conductors being connected to a fourth pair of said eight leg conductors, said fourth pair of leg conductors being spaced 180 degrees away from said third pair of leg conductors and being connected to said third pair of leg conductors by a respective pair of said four dome conductors;
• a third trap circuit bridging said third gap in said end ring conductor, said third trap circuit including a third trap inductor and a third trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a fourth gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the fourth pair of leg conductors spaced 180 degrees from the third pair of leg conductors;
• and
• a fourth trap circuit bridging said fourth gap in said end ring conductor, said fourth trap circuit including a fourth trap inductor and a fourth trap capacitor connected in parallel.

A dual-frequency radiofrequency resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of a patient, comprising:

• a hollow cylindrical support structure with an outer surface, an inner diameter, an open end, and a dome-shaped closed end;
• an end ring conductor attached to the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical support structure adjacent the open end;
• sixteen substantially equal length leg conductors with respective first ends, second ends, and midpoints, each of the respective first ends being electrically joined to the end ring conductor at positions spaced substantially 22.5 degrees apart from one another, each of the sixteen leg conductors being attached to the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical support structure and each respective second end of the sixteen leg conductors terminating adjacent the dome-shaped closed end;
• eight dome conductors attached to the outer surface of the dome-shaped closed end, each of the eight dome conductors having respective midpoints and two endpoints, an endpoint of each dome conductor being electrically joined to respective second ends of pairs of leg conductors spaced 112.5/247.5 degrees apart from one another, whereby each dome conductor is connected to two of said leg conductors and whereby each leg conductor is connected to one dome conductor;
• wherein each of said eight dome conductors intersects four of said eight dome conductors at four intersection points and wherein each of said eight dome conductors that intersect each of said four dome conductors are electrically joined to said four intersecting dome conductors at said intersection points;
• a first gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a first pair of said sixteen leg conductors, each leg conductor of said first pair of leg conductors being spaced 22.5/337.5 degrees apart from one another, said first pair of leg conductors being connected to a second pair of said sixteen leg conductors, said second pair of leg conductors being connected to said first pair of leg conductors by a first respective pair of said eight dome conductors;
• a first trap circuit bridging said first gap in said end ring conductor, said first trap circuit including a first trap inductor and a first trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a second gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the second pair of leg conductors;
• a second trap circuit bridging said second gap in said end ring conductor, said second trap circuit including a second trap inductor and a second trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a third gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a third pair of said sixteen leg conductors, each leg conductor of said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 22.5/337.5 degrees apart, said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 90/270 degrees from said first pair of leg conductors and said second pair of leg conductors, said third pair of leg conductors being connected to a fourth pair of said sixteen leg conductors, said fourth pair of leg conductors being connected to said third pair of leg conductors by a respective pair of said eight dome conductors;
• a third trap circuit bridging said third gap in said end ring conductor, said third trap circuit including a third trap inductor and a third trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a fourth gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the fourth pair of leg conductors;
• and
• a fourth trap circuit bridging said fourth gap in said end ring conductor, said fourth trap circuit including a fourth trap inductor and a fourth trap capacitor connected in parallel.

A dual-frequency radiofrequency resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of a patient, comprising:

• an end ring conductor with a central axis;
• sixteen substantially equal length leg conductors with respective first ends, second ends, and midpoints, each of the respective first ends being electrically joined to the end ring conductor at positions spaced substantially 22.5 degrees apart from one another, each of the sixteen leg conductors being substantially parallel with the central axis and each of the respective second ends of the sixteen leg conductors terminating on the same side of the end ring conductor;
• eight dome conductors having respective midpoints and two endpoints, an endpoint of each dome conductor being electrically joined to respective second ends of pairs of leg conductors spaced 112.5/247.5 degrees apart from one another, whereby each dome conductor is connected to two of said leg conductors and whereby each leg conductor is connected to one dome conductor;
• wherein each midpoint of each dome conductor is a respective predetermined distance from the end ring conductor, said predetermined distances being greater than a distance between the first and second ends of the leg conductors, whereby the dome conductors form a dome shape, each of said eight dome conductors intersecting four of said eight dome conductors at four intersection points and each of said eight dome conductors that intersect each of said four dome conductors being electrically joined to said four intersecting dome conductors at said intersection points;
• a first gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a first pair of said sixteen leg conductors, each leg conductor of said first pair of leg conductors being spaced 22.5/337.5 degrees apart from one another, said first pair of leg conductors being connected to a second pair of said sixteen leg conductors, said second pair of leg conductors being connectedto said first pair of leg conductors by a first respective pair of said eight dome conductors;
• a first trap circuit bridging said first gap in said end ring conductor, said first trap circuit including a first trap inductor and a first trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a second gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the second pair of leg conductors;
• a second trap circuit bridging said second gap in said end ring conductor, said second trap circuit including a second trap inductor and a second trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a third gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a third pair of said sixteen leg conductors, each leg conductor of said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 22.5/337.5 degrees apart, said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 90/270 degrees from said first pair of leg conductors and said second pair of leg conductors, said third pair of leg conductors being connected to a fourth pair of said sixteen leg conductors, said fourth pair of leg conductors being connected to said third pair of leg conductors by a respective pair of said eight dome conductors;
• a third trap circuit bridging said third gap in said end ring conductor, said third trap circuit including a third trap inductor and a third trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a fourth gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the fourth pair of leg conductors;
• and
• a fourth trap circuit bridging said fourth gap in said end ring conductor, said fourth trap circuit including a fourth trap inductor and a fourth trap capacitor connected in parallel.

A dual-frequency radiofrequency resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of a patient, comprising:

• a hollow cylindrical support structure with an outer surface, an inner diameter, an open end, and a dome-shaped closed end;
• an end ring conductor attached to the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical support structure adjacent the open end;
• n*2 substantially equal length leg conductors with respective first ends, second ends, and midpoints, each of the respective first ends being electrically joined to the end ring conductor at positions spaced substantially 360/(n*2) degrees apart from one another, each of the n*2 leg conductors being attached to the outer surface of the hollow cylindrical support structure and each respective second end of the n*2 leg conductors terminating adjacent the dome-shaped closed end;
• and
• n dome conductors attached to the outer surface of the dome-shaped closed end, each of the n dome conductors having respective midpoints and two endpoints, an endpoint of each dome conductor being electrically joined to respective second ends of pairs of leg conductors spaced (360/(n*2))*((n/2)+1) degrees apart from one another in one circumferential direction and (360) -›(360/(n*2))*((n/2)+1)! degrees apart from one another in another circumferential direction, whereby each dome conductor is connected to two of said leg conductors and whereby each leg conductor is connected to one dome conductor;
• wherein each of said n dome conductors intersects n/2 of said n dome conductors at n/2 intersection points and wherein each of said n dome conductors that intersect each of said n/2 dome conductors are electrically joined to said n/2 intersecting dome conductors at said intersection points, and wherein n is an integer greater than 3;
• a first gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a first pair of said n*2 leg conductors, each leg conductor of said first pair of leg conductors being spaced 360/(n*2) degrees apart from one another, said first pair of leg conductors being connected to a second pair of said n*2 leg conductors, said second pair of leg conductors being connected to said first pair of leg conductors by a first respective pair of said n dome conductors;
• a first trap circuit bridging said first gap in said end ring conductor, said first trap circuit including a first trap inductor and a first trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a second gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the second pair of leg conductors;
• a second trap circuit bridging said second gap in said end ring conductor, said second trap circuit including a second trap inductor and a second trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a third gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between a third pair of said n*2 leg conductors, each leg conductor of said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 360/(n*2) degrees apart, said third pair of leg conductors being spaced 90/270 degrees from said first pair of leg conductors and said second pair of leg conductors, said third pair of leg conductors being connected to a fourth pair of said n*2 leg conductors, said fourth pair of leg conductors being connected to said third pair of leg conductors by a respective pair of said n dome conductors;
• a third trap circuit bridging said third gap in said end ring conductor, said third trap circuit including a third trap inductor and a third trap capacitor connected in parallel;
• a fourth gap in said end ring conductor substantially midway between the fourth pair of leg conductors;
• and
• a fourth trap circuit bridging said fourth gap in said end ring conductor, said fourth trap circuit including a fourth trap inductor and a fourth trap capacitor connected in parallel.