RECEIVING COIL AND LOCAL COIL FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE APPLICATIONS

• US 20120256633A1
• Filed: 04/08/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Biber, Stephan, Driemel, Daniel, Zink, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 9,547,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/322
• 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 local coil for magnetic resonance applications includes a rigid housing that radially surrounds a substantially cylindrical examination volume. Arranged in the rigid housing is a transmitting coil, by which an excitation signal may be applied to the examination volume. An object to be examined arranged in the examination volume may be excited by the excitation signal for emitting a magnetic resonance signal. The local coil includes a size-variable structure, in which an antenna assembly for receiving the magnetic resonance signal emitted by the object to be examined is arranged. The size-variable structure is arranged in the examination volume and is connected to the rigid housing. The size-variable structure is soft and flexible.

Claims

1. A receiving coil for magnetic resonance applications, the receiving coil comprising:

a soft, flexible enveloping structure, in which an antenna assembly for receiving a magnetic resonance signal is arranged, the enveloping structure being configurable so as to be flat, and extending over a length in a longitudinal direction and over a width in a width direction, the enveloping structure being bendable from the flat state into a ring that extends over the width in the direction of a ring axis,

wherein in the flat state, end regions of the enveloping structure that oppose each other with respect to the enveloping structure are joined together by a connecting structure in a state of the enveloping structure that is bent to form a ring, and

wherein, viewed in the width direction, at least one of the end regions is divided into lugs that, in the flat state, are individually connectable to one, when viewed in the longitudinal direction, opposing section of the other end region, so a respective ring circumference of the enveloping structure is individually adjustable for each of the lugs.

2. The receiving coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving coil is configured as a knee coil or an elbow coil, and the enveloping structure has a recess for a kneecap or an elbow of a patient, or

wherein the receiving coil is configured as an ankle coil, a heel coil, or a combination thereof, and the enveloping structure has two recesses for the ankles of the patient, a recess for a heel of the patient, or a combination thereof.

3. The receiving coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving coil comprises an electronic device interacting with the antenna assembly, the electronic device being arranged in at least one electronic device box, the at least one electronic device box being arranged in a region of the enveloping structure that, when the receiving coil is used as intended, faces radially outwards and upwards.

4. A local coil for magnetic resonance applications, the local coil comprising:

a rigid housing that radially surrounds a substantially cylindrical examination volume;

a transmitting coil, by which an excitation signal is appliable to the examination volume, arranged in the rigid housing, an object to be examined arranged in the examination volume being excitable by the excitation signal for emitting a magnetic resonance signal; and

a size-variable structure, in which an antenna assembly for receiving the magnetic resonance signal emitted by the object to be examined is arranged,

wherein the size-variable structure is arranged in the examination volume and is connected to the rigid housing.

5. The local coil as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rigid housing has an internal circumference,

wherein the size-variable structure has a maximum external circumference, and

wherein the maximum external circumference is smaller than the internal circumference.

6. The local coil as claimed in claim 5, wherein the maximum external circumference is at least 15 cm smaller than the internal circumference.

7. The local coil as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rigid housing comprises a plurality of housing parts, such that the housing is openable.

8. The local coil as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the local coil is used as intended, one housing part of the plurality of housing parts is arranged on a patient couch, and

wherein when the one housing part is arranged on the patient couch, at least another housing part of the plurality of housing parts is movable relative to the one housing part to open and close the rigid housing.

9. The local coil as claimed in claim 8, wherein the size-variable structure is connected to the one housing part.

10. The local coil as claimed in claim 7, wherein a connector for connecting the transmitting coil to an activation device is arranged on one housing part of the plurality of housing parts, and

wherein the size-variable structure is connected to the one housing part.

11. The local coil as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connector comprises:

contacts for activating the transmitting coil; and

contacts for transferring the magnetic resonance signal received by the antenna assembly to an evaluation device.

12. The local coil as claimed in one claim 4, wherein the local coil is configured as a knee coil, an elbow coil, a wrist coil, an ankle coil, a heel coil or a head coil.

13. The local coil as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size-variable structure is connected to the rigid housing only at certain points, such that a filling structure is introducible between the size-variable structure and the rigid housing.

14. The local coil as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size-variable structure is configured as a flexible, soft structure.

15. The local coil as claimed in claim 13, wherein the size-variable structure is configured as a receiving coil, the receiving coil comprising:

a soft, flexible enveloping structure, in which the antenna assembly for receiving the magnetic resonance signal is arranged, the enveloping structure being configurable so as to be flat, and extending over a length in a longitudinal direction and over a width in a width direction, the enveloping structure being bendable from the flat state into a ring that extends over the width in the direction of a ring axis,

wherein in the flat state, end regions of the enveloping structure that oppose each other with respect to the enveloping structure are joined together by a connecting structure in a state of the enveloping structure that is bent to form a ring, and

wherein, viewed in the width direction, at least one of the end regions is divided into lugs that, in the flat state, are individually connectable to one, when viewed in the longitudinal direction, opposing section of the other end region, so a respective ring circumference of the enveloping structure is individually adjustable for each of the lugs.

16. The local coil as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rigid housing comprises a plurality of housing parts, such that the housing is openable.

17. The local coil as claimed in claim 9, wherein a connector for connecting the transmitting coil to an activation device is arranged on one housing part of the plurality of housing parts, and

wherein the size-variable structure is connected to the one housing part.

18. The local coil as claimed in one claim 5, wherein the local coil is configured as a knee coil, an elbow coil, a wrist coil, an ankle coil, a heel coil or a head coil.

19. The local coil as claimed in claim 5, wherein the size-variable structure is connected to the rigid housing only at certain points, such that a filling structure is introducible between the size-variable structure and the rigid housing.

20. The local coil as claimed in claim 5, wherein the size-variable structure is configured as a flexible, soft structure.