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  Flexible rf coil assembly and method of making sameUSPTO Application #: 20080100294Title: Flexible rf coil assembly and method of making same Abstract: An RF coil assembly includes a plurality of coil supports rotatably interconnected to each other. Each coil support is configured to rotate with respect to at least one adjoining coil support. A plurality of RF coils is connected to each coil support. (end of abstract)
Agent: General Electric Company Global Research - Niskayuna, NY, US Inventors: Kenneth W. Rohling, Christopher J. Hardy USPTO Applicaton #: 20080100294 - Class: 324318 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080100294. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates generally to MR imaging and, more particularly, to a flexible RF coil assembly capable of conforming to a patient's shape. [0002]When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magnetic field (polarizing field B.sub.0), the individual magnetic moments of the spins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field, but precess about it in random order at their characteristic Larmor frequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field (excitation field B.sub.1) which is in the x-y plane and which is near the Larmor frequency, the net aligned moment, or "longitudinal magnetization", M.sub.Z, may be rotated, or "tipped", into the x-y plane to produce a net transverse magnetic moment M.sub.t. A signal is emitted by the excited spins after the excitation signal B.sub.1 is terminated and this signal may be received and processed to form an image. [0003]When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients (G.sub.x, G.sub.y, and G.sub.z) are employed. Typically, the region to be imaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which these gradients vary according to the particular localization method being used. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized and processed to reconstruct the image using one of many well known reconstruction techniques. [0004]It is desired that RF receiver-coil arrays be made light and flexible so that all of the coils can be positioned close to a patient and that patient comfort may be maintained while fitting an RF receiver-coil array to a variety of patient sizes and shapes. However, repeated flexing of RF receiver coils and their corresponding circuitry may alter the performance and shorten the working life of the RF receiver coils. [0005]It would therefore be desirable to have an RF coil apparatus capable of conforming to a patient's shape while protecting the RF receiver coils and corresponding circuitry from repeated flexing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0006]The present invention provides an RF coil apparatus that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. An RF coil assembly includes a plurality of coil supports rotatably interconnected to each other. Each coil support is configured to rotate with respect to at least one adjoining coil support. A plurality of RF coils is connected to each coil support. [0007]Therefore, according to an aspect of the present invention, an MRI apparatus includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet to impress spatially dependent changes to a polarizing magnetic field and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF magnetic fields from an RF transmit coil to excite MR signals and to acquire MR signals using an RF receiver coil assembly to create MR images. The RF coil assembly includes a pair of RF coil modules. Each RF coil module includes a set of overlapping RF coils and a housing rigidly supporting the set of overlapping RF coils. The RF coil assembly includes at least one hinge connected to each of the pair of RF coil modules and configured to permit the pair of RF coil modules to rotate between an unflexed position and a flexed position. [0008]According to another aspect of the present invention, an RF coil assembly includes a plurality of RF coil sets. The assembly also includes a plurality of RF coil modules rotatably interconnected to each other, each RF coil module rigidly connected to one of the plurality of RF coil sets and configured to rotate with respect to at least one adjoining RF coil module. [0009]According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of making an RF coil array includes connecting a first plurality of RF coils to a first rigid support and connecting a second plurality of RF coils to a second rigid support. The method also includes attaching at least one hinge between the first and second rigid supports. [0010]Various other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011]The drawings illustrate one preferred embodiment presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. [0012]In the drawings: [0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an MR imaging system for use with the present invention. [0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an RF coil array according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a rib of the RF coil array of FIG. 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the RF coil array 70 of FIG. 2 having the modules 74-86 protectively covered. [0017]FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the RF coil array of FIG. 2 in an unflexed position according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0018]FIG. 6 is a side plan view of RF coil array of FIG. 2 in a flexed position according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0019]FIG. 7 is an exemplary RF coil displacement plot illustrating a displacement of the RF coils during rotation. [0020]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing rotation and translation of a pair of RF coils with respect to each other coil according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0021]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cam system usable with the RF coil array of FIG. 2 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Flexible rf coil assembly and method of making same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Flexible rf coil assembly and method of making same patent application. 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