MAGNETIC RESONANCE COIL DEVICE

• US 20110260728A1
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: BIBER, STEPHAN, DRIEMEL, DANIEL
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34007 Manufacture of RF coils, e.g. using printed circuit board technology; additional hardware for providing mechanical support to the RF coil assembly or to part thereof, e.g. a support for moving the coil assembly relative to the remainder of the MR system
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34061 Helmholtz coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34084 implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels

Abstract

A combined head and nape magnetic-resonance coil device for a magnetic-resonance examination using a magnetic-resonance device, includes at least one posterior coil unit and at least two anterior coil units. At least one anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units is mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the at least one anterior coil unit may move along at least one direction of a spacing between the posterior coil unit and the at least one anterior coil unit.

Claims

1. A combined head and neck magnetic-resonance coil device for a magnetic resonance examination using a magnetic-resonance device, the combined head and neck magnetic-resonance coil device comprising:

a posterior coil unit; and

at least two anterior coil units,

wherein at least one anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units is mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the at least one anterior coil unit is movable along at least one direction of a spacing between the posterior coil unit and the at least one anterior coil unit.

2. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units is formed separately from a second anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units.

3. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units forms an anterior head coil unit, the anterior head coil unit being mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior head coil unit is movable along the at least one direction.

4. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units forms an anterior nape coil unit, the anterior nape coil unit being mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior nape coil unit is movable along the at least one direction.

5. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a guide and support unit configured to guide the at least one anterior coil unit with respect to a movement along the at least one direction in relation to the posterior coil unit.

6. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first anterior coil unit of the at least two anterior coil units comprises a first anterior coil element that is moveably mounted on the first anterior coil unit.

7. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first anterior coil unit further comprises a second anterior coil element that is moveably mounted on the first anterior coil unit independently of the first anterior coil element.

8. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first anterior coil element or the second anterior coil element is formed by a chest coil element from the anterior nape coil unit.

9. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first anterior coil element or the second anterior coil element is formed by a neck coil element from the anterior nape coil unit.

10. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first anterior coil element, the second anterior coil element, or the first anterior coil element and the second anterior coil element are at least partly curved.

11. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first anterior coil unit comprises a jointed support unit configured for supporting the first anterior coil element such that the first anterior coil element is movable.

12. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the jointed support unit comprises a hinge unit.

13. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the jointed support unit has at least two joint axes that are aligned substantially perpendicularly with respect to one another.

14. A magnetic-resonance coil device for a magnetic-resonance examination using a magnetic-resonance device, the magnetic-resonance coil device comprising:

a posterior coil unit;

an anterior head coil unit; and

an anterior nape coil unit,

wherein the anterior nape coil unit comprises an anterior coil element that is mounted on the anterior nape coil unit such that the anterior coil element is movable about an axis.

15. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the anterior coil element is a first anterior coil element, and

wherein the anterior nape coil unit further comprises a second anterior coil element that is moveably mounted about the axis or another axis independently of the first anterior coil element.

16. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the anterior nape coil unit is moveably mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior nape coil unit is movable along at least one direction of a spacing between the anterior nape coil unit and the posterior coil unit.

17. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the anterior head coil unit is moveably mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior head coil unit is movable along at least one direction of a spacing between the anterior head coil unit and the posterior coil unit.

18. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the anterior nape coil unit is moveably mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior nape coil unit is movable along at least one direction of a spacing between the anterior nape coil unit and the posterior coil unit.

19. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the anterior head coil unit is moveably mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior head coil unit is movable along at least one direction of a spacing between the anterior head coil unit and the posterior coil unit.

20. The magnetic-resonance coil device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the anterior head coil unit is moveably mounted in relation to the posterior coil unit such that the anterior head coil unit is movable along the at least one direction of a spacing between the anterior head coil unit and the posterior coil unit.