System and method for magnetic resonance imaging one or more subjects

• US 10,317,485 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Seeber, Derek Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Rodney E
• Application Number:
  US15/337,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20180120394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 324309
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3856 Means for cooling the gradient coils or thermal shielding of the gradient coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3858 Manufacture and installation of gradient coils, means for providing mechanical support to parts of the gradient-coil assembly manufacture of inductances or coils in general H01F41/00

Abstract

An MRI system for imaging a subject is provided. The MRI system includes a magnet assembly that includes a gradient coil having a hollow conducting wire. The hollow conducting wire includes a body defining a passageway, and one or more conductors disposed within the body around the passageway.

Claims

1. An MRI system for imaging a subject comprising:

a magnet assembly that includes a gradient coil having a hollow conducting wire, the hollow conducting wire including;

a body made of non-conductive material including an exterior side and an interior side defining a passageway, wherein the passageway is for transporting a coolant; and

one or more conductors disposed within the body between the exterior side and the interior side, wherein the non-conductive material fills the space between the exterior side and the interior side that is unoccupied by the one or more conductors, and wherein the one or more conductors are isolated from the coolant by the non-conductive material.

2. The MRI system of claim 1, wherein the passageway has a circular or rectangular shape.

3. The MRI system of claim 1, wherein the coolant is glycol and the one or more conductors are isolated from the glycol.

4. The MRI system of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductors are rotated about the passageway.

5. A method for magnetic resonance imaging a subject comprising:

driving a gradient coil of a magnet assembly of an MRI system via a hollow conducting wire that includes;

a body made of non-conductive material including an exterior side and an interior side defining a passageway; and

one or more conductors disposed within the body between the exterior side and the interior side, wherein the non-conductive material fills the space between the exterior side and the interior side that is unoccupied by the one or more conductors; and

cooling the one or more conductors via a coolant flowing through the passageway,

wherein the one or more conductors are isolated from the coolant by the non-conductive material.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the coolant is glycol and the one or more conductors are isolated from the glycol.

7. A hollow conducting wire for driving a gradient coil of a magnet assembly of an MRI system, the hollow conducting wire comprising:

a body made of non-conductive material including an exterior side and an interior side defining a passageway, wherein the passageway is for transporting a coolant; and

one or more conductors disposed within the body between the exterior side and the interior side, wherein the non-conductive material fills the space between the exterior side and the interior side that is unoccupied by the one or more conductors, and wherein the one or more conductors are isolated from the coolant by the non-conductive material.

8. The hollow conducting wire of claim 7, wherein the passageway has a circular or rectangular shape.

9. The hollow conducting wire of claim 7, wherein the coolant is glycol and the one or more conductors are isolated from the glycol.

10. The hollow conducting wire of claim 7, wherein the one or more conductors comprise of multiple strands.

11. The hollow conducting wire of claim 7, wherein the one or more conductors are rotated about the passageway.

12. The hollow conducting wire of claim 11, wherein a rate of rotation of the conductors about the passageway is about one rotation per meter.

13. The hollow conducting wire of claim 7, wherein the non-conductive material comprises of nylon or ethylene.

14. A gradient coil for a magnet assembly of an MRI system for imaging a subject, the gradient coil comprising:

a hollow conducting wire for driving the gradient coil, the hollow conducting wire including;

a body made of non-conductive material including an exterior side and an interior side defining a passageway, wherein the passageway is for transporting a coolant; and

one or more conductors disposed within the body between the exterior side and the interior side, wherein the non-conductive material fills the space between the exterior side and the interior side that is unoccupied by the one or more conductors, and wherein the one or more conductors are isolated from the coolant by the non-conductive material.