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Antenna system for NMR and MRI apparatus

  • US 5,903,150 A
  • Filed: 08/20/1997
  • Issued: 05/11/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An antenna system for use in a nuclear magnetic resonance or magnetic resonance imaging apparatus which includes a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitter and a radio frequency (RF) signal receiver, the antenna system comprising:

  • at least first and second electromagnetically coupled circuits;

    said first circuit comprising a first inductance producing a first electromagnetic field flux vector;

    said second circuit comprising a second inductance producing a second electromagnetic field flux vector;

    said first and second inductances being electromagnetically coupled such that the first electromagnetic field flux vector has a component interacting with a component of the second electromagnetic field flux vector; and

    a switch system coupled to said first circuit and to said second circuit, said switch system having;

    a first switching position for coupling said first circuit to an output of said RF signal transmitter and for preventing a damaging level of signal from said second circuit from being fed to an input of said RF signal receiver, anda second switching position for permitting an RF signal from said second circuit to be fed to an input of said RF signal receiver and for decoupling said first circuit from the output of said RF signal transmitter;

    and wherein;

    said antenna system produces an electromagnetic field flux enclosing an examination object therewithin, which electromagnetic field flux is used to irradiate the examination object, when said switch system is in the first switching position; and

    an electromagnetic field flux produced by a signal emitted by the examination object'"'"'s relaxing nuclei is picked up by said electromagnetically coupled inductances and is fed to said RF signal receiver via said second circuit, when said switch system is in the second switching position.

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