Wireless radio frequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging, method of controlling the coil, and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus using the coil

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:

• a wireless radio frequency coil comprising:
• a wireless radio frequency coil unit configured to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive a radio frequency signal;
• a power supply unit configured to provide a power voltage for operation of the wireless radio frequency coil unit;
• a switch connected to the power supply unit and the wireless radio frequency coil unit;
• a sensor unit configured to detect signals discharged from a space in which the wireless radio frequency coil unit is located;
• and
• a control unit configured to provide or shut off the power voltage by controlling the switch according to a result obtained from the sensor unit;
• a computer system configured to form a magnetic resonance image based on a radio frequency signal which is received by the wireless radio frequency coil;
• and
• an output unit configured to output the magnetic resonance image formed by the computer system and information about an operation of the MRI apparatus,
• wherein the sensor unit comprises an optical sensor is configured to detect a laser that is emitted from a laser transmission unit located in an interior space of a gantry of the MRI apparatus to adjust a positional relationship between a subject and a main magnet inside the gantry.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:

• a gantry comprising a main magnet, a gradient coil, and a radio frequency coil that produce magnetic fields for imaging a subject patient;
• and
• a wireless radio frequency coil comprising:
• a wireless radio frequency coil unit configured to transmit, receive or transmit and receive a radio frequency communication signal;
• a power supply unit configured to provide a power voltage for operation of the wireless radio frequency coil unit;
• a switch connected to the power supply unit and the wireless radio frequency coil unit;
• a sensor unit configured to detect one or more of the magnetic fields discharged from the gantry;
• and
• a control unit configured to automatically provide or shut off the power voltage by controlling the switch according to a result obtained from the sensor unit,
• wherein the sensor unit comprises an optical sensor configured to detect a laser that is emitted from a laser transmission unit located in an interior space of the gantry of the MRI apparatus to adjust a positional relationship between a subject and the main magnet inside the gantry.