Systems and methods for common mode traps in MRI systems

• US 10,209,328 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Taracila, Victor, Stormont, Robert Steven, Robb, Fraser John Laing, Vannatta, Louis Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wenderoth, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US15/391,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 324322, 333219-235
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/307 specially adapted for moving the sample relative to the MR system, e.g. spinning mechanisms, flow cells or means for positioning the sample inside a spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3685 Means for reducing sheath currents, e.g. RF traps, baluns
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/385 using gradient magnetic field coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/543 Control of the operation of the MR system, e.g. setting of acquisition parameters prior to or during MR data acquisition, dynamic shimming, use of one or more scout images for scan plane prescription G01R33/546 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/546 Interface between the MR system and the user, e.g. for controlling the operation of the MR system or for the design of pulse sequences

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided for a common mode trap for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus. In one embodiment, a common mode trap comprises: a first conductor and a second conductor counterwound around a length of a central conductor, the first and the second conductors radially spaced a distance from the central conductor, the first and second conductors fixed to a first side of the central conductor; and a third conductor and a fourth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, the third and fourth conductors are radially spaced the distance from the central conductor, the third and fourth conductors fixed to a second side of the central conductor opposite the first side. In this way, the density of common mode trap conductors in a common mode trap may be increased, thereby increasing the mutual inductance between the common mode trap and the central conductor.

Claims

1. A common mode trap for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, comprising:

a first conductor and a second conductor counterwound around a length of a central conductor, wherein the first and the second conductors are radially spaced a first distance from the central conductor, wherein the first and second conductors are fixed to a first side of the central conductor; and

a third conductor and a fourth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, wherein the third and fourth conductors are radially spaced the first distance from the central conductor, and wherein the third and fourth conductors are fixed to a second side of the central conductor opposite the first side.

2. The common mode trap of claim 1, wherein the first and the second conductors cross paths orthogonally.

3. The common mode trap of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric spacer disposed radially about the central conductor along the length, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth conductors are counterwound around the dielectric spacer.

4. The common mode trap of claim 1, further comprising a first and a second capacitor positioned at each end of the length along the first side, and a third and a fourth capacitor positioned at each end of the length along the second side, wherein the first and the second conductors are fixed to the first and the second capacitors, and wherein the third and the fourth conductors are fixed to the third and the fourth capacitors.

5. The common mode trap of claim 4, further comprising:

a fifth conductor and a sixth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, wherein the fifth and the sixth conductors are radially spaced a second distance from the central conductor greater than the first distance, wherein the first and second conductors are fixed to the first and the second capacitors on the first side of the central conductor; and

a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, wherein the seventh and eighth conductors are radially spaced the second distance from the central conductor, and wherein the seventh and eighth conductors are fixed to the third and the fourth capacitors on the second side of the central conductor.

6. The common mode trap of claim 4, further comprising a fifth and a sixth capacitor positioned at each end of the length along a third side equidistant from the first and second sides, and a seventh and an eighth capacitor positioned at each end of the length along a fourth side positioned opposite the third side and equidistant from the first and second sides.

7. The common mode trap of claim 6, further comprising:

a fifth conductor and a sixth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, wherein the fifth and the sixth conductors are radially spaced the first distance from the central conductor, wherein the fifth and sixth conductors are fixed to the fifth and the sixth capacitors on the third side of the central conductor; and

a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor counterwound around the length of the central conductor, wherein the seventh and eighth conductors are radially spaced the first distance from the central conductor, and wherein the seventh and eighth conductors are fixed to the seventh and the eighth capacitors on the fourth side of the central conductor.

8. The common mode trap of claim 1, wherein the common mode trap is tuned to provide a resonant frequency near an operating frequency of the MRI system.

9. The common mode trap of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of annular disks disposed about the central conductor at regular intervals, wherein each of the conductors is threaded through each annular disk of the plurality of annular disks.

10. A common mode trap assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

a central conductor with a length and configured to transmit a signal between an MRI radio frequency coil and a processing element of the MRI system; and

a plurality of common mode traps extending along at least a portion of the length of the central conductor, the common mode traps configured to provide an impedance to reduce transmitter-driven currents of the MRI system, wherein each of the common mode traps comprises a second length and includes a plurality of conductor pairs, each conductor pair of the plurality of conductor pairs comprising a first conductor and a second conductor counterwound around the central conductor.

11. The common mode trap assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the common mode traps includes a first plurality of capacitors positioned at a first end of the common mode trap and a second plurality of capacitors positioned at a second end of the common mode trap, wherein the first and second common mode trap conductors of the common mode trap are fixed to the first plurality of capacitors and the second plurality of capacitors.

12. The common mode trap assembly of claim 10, wherein for each conductor pair of the plurality of conductor pairs, the first conductor and the second conductor cross paths orthogonally.

13. The common mode trap assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of common mode traps are disposed contiguously.

14. The common mode trap assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the common mode traps includes a dielectric spacer disposed radially about the central conductor.

15. A method for providing a transmission cable for a radio frequency (RF) coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

providing a central conductor of a length and configured to transmit a signal between the RF coil and a processing element of the MRI system; and

positioning a plurality of common mode trap conductor pairs around the central conductor along at least a portion of the length of the central conductor, wherein the plurality of common mode trap conductor pairs are distributed symmetrically about the central conductor, wherein each common mode trap conductor pair includes a first common mode trap conductor wrapped in a spiral in a first direction about the central conductor along the portion of the length of the central conductor, and a second common mode trap conductor wrapped in a spiral in a second direction opposite to the first direction about the central conductor along the portion of the length.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a first half of the plurality of common mode trap conductor pairs are positioned a first radial distance from a central axis of the central conductor, and wherein a second half of the plurality of common mode trap conductor pairs are positioned a second radial distance from the central axis, the second radial distance greater than the first radial distance.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and the second common mode trap conductors are positioned a first distance radially from a central axis of the central conductor at a midpoint of the length and a second distance radially from the central axis at each end of the length, the second distance less than the first distance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and the second common mode trap conductors are fixed to posts positioned at a first and a second end of the length.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a dielectric spacer radially along the length of the central conductor, and coupling the plurality of common mode trap conductor pairs to the dielectric spacer.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a shielding radially around the dielectric spacer.