Multimode operation of quadrature phased array MR coil systems
First Claim
1. A coil interface for coupling a plurality of coil elements in a phased array magnetic resonance imaging coil to a host magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:
- a plurality of signal inputs for coupling to the plurality of coil elements;
a plurality of output ports for coupling to predetermined receivers of the host magnetic resonance imagining system; and
a interface circuit that in a first imaging mode selectively couples at least two signal inputs to an equal number of output ports, and, in a second imaging mode, selectively couples at least two signal inputs to a lesser number of output ports.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coil interface for coupling a phased array magnetic resonance imaging coil to a magnetic resonance imaging system. The coil interface includes a plurality of signal inputs and a plurality of output ports. Each of the output ports is associated with a receiver in the magnetic resonance imaging system. The coil interface also includes an interface circuit. The interface circuit selectively couples at least two of the signal inputs to at least one of the plurality of input ports. Where the coil is a quadrature phased array coil, a preferred embodiment allows the two quadrature signals to be acquired as a single signal, precombined at the RF level within the coil interface, or as two separate RF signals by two of the receivers of the magnetic resonance imaging system hardware.
99 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A coil interface for coupling a plurality of coil elements in a phased array magnetic resonance imaging coil to a host magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:
-
a plurality of signal inputs for coupling to the plurality of coil elements;
a plurality of output ports for coupling to predetermined receivers of the host magnetic resonance imagining system; and
a interface circuit that in a first imaging mode selectively couples at least two signal inputs to an equal number of output ports, and, in a second imaging mode, selectively couples at least two signal inputs to a lesser number of output ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of operating a quadrature phased array MR coil in a plurality of imaging modes, comprising:
-
providing an interface circuit that selectively couples a plurality of elements of the quadrature phased array MR coil to a host MRI system, wherein the plurality of elements comprises at least one quadrature element, the at least one quadrature element generating an in-phase MR signal output that is coupled to the interface circuit and a quadrature MR signal output that is coupled to the interface circuit;
selecting a first imaging mode from the plurality of imaging modes; and
responsively configuring the interface circuit to couple the in-phase MR signal output to a first receiver in the host MRI system and to couple the quadrature MR signal output to a second receiver in the host MRI system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification