Switchable field of view apparatus and method for magnetic resonance imaging
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsEd B. Boskamp, Daniel J. Weyers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An MRI apparatus and method for reducing wrap around artifacts during image reconstruction is provided. An RF coil and control configuration includes a center coil and at least one pair of end RF coils configured to encode and excite spins over an adjustable field-of-view (FOV). The adjustable FOV has at least two size designations in response to an FOV size request input. The control connected to the RF coil assembly is capable of switching between the FOV size designations by switching power to activate a center coil alone or the center coil in conjunction with the end coils in unison.
Claims26
An RF coil and control configuration comprising:
- an RF coil assembly having a center coil and a pair of end coils, each end coil comprised of at least one RF coil, the RF coil assembly configured to encode and excite spins over an adjustable FOV;
- and
- a control connected to the RF coil assembly to switch the RF coil assembly between at least two general FOV size designations based on an FOV size input, the at least two general FOV size designations determined by the control switching power to activate one of:
- the center coil only;
- and
- the center coil and the pair of end coils in unison.
- 2.The RF coil and control configuration of claim 1 wherein the at least two general FOV size designations include a small FOV size in which the center coil only is activated and a large FOV size in which the center coil and the pair of end coils are activated.
An MRI apparatus to acquire images comprising:
- a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet to impress a polarizing magnetic field and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF resonator assembly having a center resonator enclosed by a set of end resonators to acquire MR images;
- and
- a computer programmed to:
- receive an FOV input;
- and
- based on the FOV input, cause transmission of a signal from one of:
- the center resonator only;
- and
- the center resonator and the set of end resonators simultaneously.
A method of controlling an MRI device having an RF coil assembly comprised of a central RF coil and at least one pair of end RF coils comprising:
- creating a predetermined parameter based on a length of the central RF coil;
- and
- comparing a desired FOV to the predetermined parameter;
- and
- if the desired FOV is not greater than the predetermined parameter, selecting the central RF coil for energization so as to perform an image scan of the desired FOV;
- and
- if the desired FOV is greater than the selected parameter, selecting the central RF coil and the at least one pair of end RF coils for energization so as to perform an imaging scan of the desired FOV.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.