Assymetric radio frequency transmission line array

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of magnetic resonance current elements, each current element having a shield and an inner conductor separated by a dielectric and at least one current element individually controllable;
• and wherein the current elements are arranged to define a surface about a volume with the inner conductors disposed towards an interior of the volume and the shields disposed towards an exterior of the volume, the volume having a first side aperture devoid of a current element, the volume having an axis and wherein a current path through each current element of the plurality of current elements is aligned substantially coaxially with the axis.

A method comprising:

• from a radio frequency volume coil having a plurality of magnetic resonance current elements, each current element having a pair of adjacent conductors separated by a dielectric and having an individually adjustable impedance, removing one or more current elements to yield a plurality of remaining current elements;
• calculating a current for each remaining current element, and selecting an impedance for each remaining current element.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of magnetic resonance current elements, each current element having a shield and an inner conductor separated by a dielectric;
• and a radio frequency conductive first backplane coupled to at least one current element;
• and wherein the current elements are arranged to define a surface about a volume with the inner conductors disposed towards an interior of the volume and the shields disposed towards an exterior of the volume, the volume having a first side aperture devoid of a current element, the volume having an axis and wherein a current path through each current element of the plurality of current elements is aligned substantially coaxially with the axis, and wherein the first backplane includes a first end aperture.