Tiled receiver coil array with improved spatial coverage
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsChristopher Judson Hardy, Kenneth W. Rohling, Randy Otto John Giaquinto
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Abstract
A phased array for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes a plurality of receiver coils arranged to form a staggered hexagonal coil array, with the staggered hexagonal coil array being rectangular in shape. Included in the plurality of receiver coils are a plurality of standard coils and a plurality of filler coils differing in shape from the standard coils. The shape of the filler coils is such that no more than negligible mutual inductance between the filler coils and all adjacent overlapping standard coils is present.
Claims21
A phased array for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of receiver coils arranged to form a staggered hexagonal coil array, the staggered hexagonal coil array being rectangular in shape;
- wherein the plurality of receiver coils comprises:
- a plurality of standard coils;
- and
- a plurality of filler coils differing in shape from the standard coils, wherein the shape of the filler coils provides no more than negligible mutual inductance between the filler coils and all adjacent overlapping standard coils.
A magnetic resonance imaging MRI apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet;
- and
- an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images, the RF coil assembly comprising:
- a plurality of receiver coils arranged into a plurality of rows, each of the plurality of rows having a first end and a second end, and wherein each row is shifted from adjacent rows such that the plurality of receiver coils are arranged to have a generally staggered hexagonal overlap pattern;
- and
- wherein the plurality of receiver coils includes a number of standard coils and a number of filler coils differing in shape from the standard coils, the standard coils and the filler coils forming a perimeter of the RF coil assembly such that the first end of the plurality of rows linearly align along a first side of the RF coil assembly and such that the second end of the plurality of rows linearly align along a second side of the RF coil assembly.
A phased array for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus comprising:
- a first row of receiver coils arranged along a first axis;
- a second row of receiver coils arranged along the first axis and offset from the first row of receiver coils along the first axis and along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the offset along the first and second axes being less than a width and a height of a receiver coil such that the first row of receiver coils overlaps the second row of receiver coils;
- and
- a third row of receiver coils arranged along the first axis and offset from the first and second rows of receiver coils along the second axis and aligned with the first row of receiver coils along the first axis, the third row of receiver coils overlapping the second row of receiver coils;
- wherein each of the first, second, and third rows of receiver coils includes an end coil that is stretched along the first axis such that ends of each of the first, second, and third rows of receiver coils are aligned along the second axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.