Gradient bore cooling providing RF shield in an MRI system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorChristopher Mark Cirel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume includes a main magnet for generating a magnetic field, an insulator sheet formed into a tube extending along an axis, a gradient coil disposed on an outside surface defining the tube for manipulating the magnetic field generated by the main magnet to image the volume, and a cooling circuit disposed between the gradient coil and a RF coil. The cooling circuit is disposed on an opposite inside surface defining the tube, wherein the cooling circuit shields the gradient coil from the RF coil while cooling the gradient coil.
Claims23
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume comprising:
- a main magnet for generating a magnetic field;
- an insulator sheet formed into a tube extending along an axis, said tube defined by an inside surface and an outside surface, the outside surface disposed at a greater radial distance from a central axis of the tube than the inside surface;
- a gradient coil for manipulating the magnetic field generated by said main magnet to image said volume, said gradient coil disposed on said outside surface defining said tube;
- a RF coil;
- and
- a cooling circuit disposed between said gradient coil and said RF coil, said cooling circuit disposed on said inside surface defining said tube, wherein said cooling circuit shields said gradient coil from said RF coil while cooling said gradient coil.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume, comprising:
- means for generating a main magnetic field;
- means for manipulating the main magnetic field to image the volume;
- a means for cooling said means manipulating the main magnetic field to image the volume;
- an insulator sheet formed into a tube extending along an axis, said tube defined by an inside surface and an outside surface, said outside surface disposed at a greater radial distance from a central axis of the tube than said inside surface, said insulator sheet intermediate said means for manipulating the main magnetic field to image the volume and said cooling means;
- and
- a RF coil spaced apart and extending radially inwardly from said cooling means,
- wherein said cooling means is disposed on said inside surface defining said tube, wherein said cooling means shields said means for manipulating the main magnetic field to image the volume from said RF coil while cooling said means for manipulating the main magnetic field to image the volume.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:
- a superconductor magnet for generating a magnetic field for imaging a volume;
- an unshielded gradient coil for manipulating the magnetic field;
- a RF coil;
- and
- a cryocooling system including a cooling circuit thermally coupled to said superconductor magnet, said cooling circuit shields said gradient coil from said RF coil while cooling said gradient coil.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume, comprising:
- at least one superconducting coil operating at cryogenic temperatures for generating a magnetic field;
- at least one gradient coil for manipulating the magnetic field generated by said at least one main magnet to image said volume;
- a RF coil;
- and
- a cooled thermal spreader having at least one cooling duct abutting gradient coil layers providing RF shielding from said RF coil, said at least one cooling tube being coupled to a cryocooler heat exchanger.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume, comprising:
- at least one main magnet for generating a magnetic field;
- at least one gradient coil for manipulating the magnetic field generated by said at least one main magnet to image said volume;
- at least one cooled thermal spreader comprising a cooled coil former on which said gradient coil is wound;
- and
- a RF coil, the cooled coil former disposed between said RF coil and said at least one gradient coil, said at least one gradient coil disposed at a greater radial distance from a central axis of said cooled coil former than said RF coil.
A method of combining a cooling circuit and a RF shield for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device for imaging a volume, the method comprising:
- forming an insulator sheet into a tube extending along an axis, said tube defined by an inside surface and an outside surface, the outside surface disposed at a greater radial distance from a central axis of the tube than the inside surface;
- disposing a gradient coil for manipulating a magnetic field generated by a main magnet to image the volume on the outside surface of said tube;
- and
- disposing a cooling circuit on the inside surface of said tube, said cooling circuit being disposed between said gradient coil and a RF coil, wherein said cooling circuit shields said gradient coil from said RF coil while cooling said gradient coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.