Parallel MR imaging method with MRI multi-turn coils having different pitch/sensitivity distributions

An MR imaging method comprising the step of:

• employing a first multi-turn coil and a second multi-turn coil disposed to face each other in an x-direction across a space for accommodating a subject, the first multi-turn coil and the second multi-turn coil having at least one of a number of turns and a pitch differentiated between the first multi-turn coil and the second multi-turn coil, the second multi-turn coil being substantially an inverted mirror image of the first multi-turn coil, wherein the first multi-turn coil has a first sensitivity distribution in a (−y-direction substantially perpendicular to the x-direction, a sensitivity of the first multi-turn coil decreases toward a (+y)-direction, and a second sensitivity distribution of the second multi-turn has a second sensitivity that increases in the (+y)-direction, wherein the first multi-turn coil receives a first signal at a location proximate a first end of the first multi-turn coil toward the (+y)-direction adjacent to a first end of the second multi-turn coil toward the (+y)-direction, the second multi-turn coil receives a second signal at a location proximate the first end of the second multi-turn coil, and the second multi-turn coil outputs the second signal at a location between the location at which the first signal of the first multi-turn coil is received and a location at which an output signal of the first multi-turn coil is outputted, the first multi-turn coil and the second multi-turn coil are configured to conduct parallel magnetic resonance imaging, and wherein at least one field of view of the MRI coil is substantially perpendicular to the x-direction.

An MRI coil system comprising:

• a pair of multi-turn coils disposed to face each other in an x-direction across a space for accommodating a subject, wherein said pair of multi-turn coils have different sensitivity distributions disposed in a phase encoding direction substantially perpendicular to said x-direction and are configured to conduct parallel magnetic resonance imaging, wherein at least one field of view of said MRI coil system is substantially perpendicular to said x-direction, a first multi-turn coil of the pair of multi-turn coils has a sensitivity distribution increasing in a (−y)-direction, and a second multi-turn coil of the pair of multi-turn coils has a sensitivity distribution increasing in the (+y)-direction, the second multi-turn coil being substantially an inverted mirror image of the first multi-turn coil, wherein the first multi-turn coil receives a first signal at a location proximate a first end of the first multi-turn coil toward the (+y)-direction adjacent to a first end of the second multi-turn coil toward the (+y)-direction, the second multi-turn coil receives a second signal at a location proximate the first end of the second multi-turn coil, and the second multi-turn coil outputs the second signal at a location between the location at which the first signal of the first multi-turn coil is received and a location at which an output signal of the first multi-turn coil is outputted.