FLEXIBLE RF COIL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An MRI apparatus comprising:
- 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 comprising;
a pair of RF coil modules, each RF coil module comprising;
a set of overlapping RF coils; and
a housing rigidly supporting the set of overlapping RF coils; and
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;
wherein each of the Pair of RF coil modules further comprises;
a rib attached thereto; and
a plurality of electrical components for each RF coil in the set of overlapping RF coils; and
,wherein the rib comprises a printed circuit board of at least one side, having an electrical circuit for each RF coil in the set of overlapping RF coils, and wherein the oluralitv of electrical components for each RF coil is electrically connected to a corresponding electrical circuit.
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Accused Products
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.
44 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An MRI apparatus comprising:
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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 comprising; a pair of RF coil modules, each RF coil module comprising; a set of overlapping RF coils; and a housing rigidly supporting the set of overlapping RF coils; and 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; wherein each of the Pair of RF coil modules further comprises; a rib attached thereto; and a plurality of electrical components for each RF coil in the set of overlapping RF coils; and
,wherein the rib comprises a printed circuit board of at least one side, having an electrical circuit for each RF coil in the set of overlapping RF coils, and wherein the oluralitv of electrical components for each RF coil is electrically connected to a corresponding electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
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2-3. -3. (canceled)
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6. (canceled)
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12-13. -13. (canceled)
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15. An RF coil assembly comprising:
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a plurality of RF coil sets; 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; and
,a hinge system connected to adjoining RF coil modules and configured to allow the adjoining RF coil modules to rotate with respect to each other, wherein the hinge system is a cam hinge system comprising; a cam attached to one of the adjoining RF coil modules; and a cam follower configured to mate with the cam and attached to the other of the adjoining RF coil modules. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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16-17. -17. (canceled)
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20. A method of making an RF coil array comprising the steps of:
connecting a first plurality of RF coils to a first rigid support; connecting a second plurality of RF coils to a second rigid support; and attaching at least one hinge between the first and second rigid supports; wherein the step of attaching further comprises; attaching a cam interface to the first rigid support; attaching a cam follower interface to the second rigid support; and interconnecting the cam interface to the cam follower interface, - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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21. (canceled)
Specification