Magnetic resonance signal detection using remotely positioned receive coils

A method for MR imaging of a body of a patient comprising

• operating an MR magnet with gradient coil to generate a variable magnetic field to be applied to the body of the patient;
• operating an RF transmit coil arrangement for generating RF pulses in a transmit stage to be applied to the body of the patient to be imaged such that the body of the patient generates an MR signal in response to the magnetic field and the RF signal applied;
• acquiring the MR signal in a receive stage;
• and processing the MR signal by which an image is generated;
• wherein the MR signal is acquired by:
• providing at least one first receive coil, at least one second receive coil and at least one third receive coil;
• communicating the RF signal in said at least third coil by a signal communication cable connected to the signal processing system;
• tuning said at least one first receive coil, at least one second receive coil and at least one third receive coil to a common resonant frequency for receiving said MR signal;
• preventing the presence of said at least one first receive coil, at least one second receive coil and at least one third receive coil from interfering with the MR signal during the transmit stage;
• and communicating the MR signal in said at least one first receive coil to the signal processing system through said at least one second receive coil and at least one third receive coil by inducing the MR signal onto said at least one third receive coil;
• wherein said at least one second receive coil is located at a spacing from said at least one first receive coil such that the signal from said at least one first receive coil is induced onto said at least one second receive coil at an efficiency of induction sufficient that the MR signal on said at least one second receive coil is greater than the MR signal which would be generated in the absence of said at least one first receive coil;
• and mutual inductance between said at least one first receive coil and said at least one second receive coil is insufficient to change the tuned common resonant frequency of said at least one first receive coil and said at least one second receive coil sufficiently to reduce the MR signal at said at least one second receive coil to a value which is less than the MR signal which would be generated in the absence of said at least one first receive coil.