Magnetic resonance signal receiving apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

• US 6,414,485 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kato, Yasushi, Ishiguro, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shrivastav, Brij B.
• Application Number:
  US09/692,865
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 324/318, 324/322, 324/300, 324/307, 324/309, 324/312
• US Class Current: 324/307
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3628 Tuning/matching of the transmit/receive coil

Abstract

In order to provide a magnetic resonance signal receiving apparatus with simplified arrangement of a coil loop selecting means, an active disabling circuit by the diode and a passive disabling circuit by the inductor connected in parallel to the capacitor through a pair of inverted heading parallel diodes are provided to a plurality of unit coils forming a phased array, the active disabling circuit will be controlled by the bias driver unit.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a plurality of receiver coil units disposed with respect to each other to define a phase array, each unit of said plurality of receiver coils defining a loop;

a plurality of capacitors each provided in series in each loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils;

a plurality of first diodes;

a plurality of inductors each connected in parallel to each of said plurality of capacitors in each said loop through a pair of said plurality of first diodes connected in parallel in opposing polarity to each other;

a plurality of second diodes each provided in series in said loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils; and

means for enabling selective ones of said units of said plurality of receiver coils and for disabling others of said units of said plurality of receiver coils by independently and selectively controlling bias of said plurality of said second diodes provided in said loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils so that signals received by said units of said plurality of receiver coils are selectively controlled in desired combinations to thereby simplify signal receipt, said means being connected to each unit of said plurality of receiver coils and to each of said plurality of second diodes connected in said loop thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein number of units of said plurality of receiver coils is equal to or more than five, and wherein number of said selected ones of said units of said plurality of receiver coils is equal to or less than four.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said units of said plurality of receiver coils comprises a receiving signal unit and an LC parallel circuit therein.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said units of said plurality of receiver coils comprises a loop plane over-lapping partially an adjoining loop plane of an adjoining unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each unit of said plurality of receiver coils is connected to an adjoining unit by a capacitor.

6. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:

first means for forming a static magnetic field in a space for placement of an imaging object;

second means for forming a gradient magnetic field in said space;

third means for forming radio frequency magnetic field in said space;

fourth means for measuring magnetic resonance signal emanating from said space; and

fifth means for generating images on basis of said measured magnetic resonance signal;

wherein said fourth means comprises;

a plurality of receiver coil units disposed with respect to each other to define a phase array, each unit of said plurality of receiver coils defining a loop;

a plurality of capacitors each provided in series in each loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils;

a plurality of first diodes;

a plurality of inductors each connected in parallel to each of said plurality of capacitors in each said loop through a pair of said plurality of first diodes connected in parallel in opposing polarity to each other;

a plurality of second diodes each provided in series in said loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils; and

means for enabling selective ones of said units of said plurality of receiver coils and for disabling others of said units of said plurality of receiver coils by independently and selectively controlling bias of said plurality of said second diodes provided in said loop of each unit of said plurality of receiver coils so that signals received by said units of said plurality of receiver coils are selectively controlled in desired combinations to thereby simplify signal receipt, said means being connected to each unit of said plurality of receiver coils and to each of said plurality of second diodes connected to said loop thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein number of units of said plurality of receiver coils is equal to or more than five, and wherein number of said selected ones of said unit of said plurality of receiver coils is equal to or less than four.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said units of said Plurality of receiver coils comprises a receiving signal unit, and an LC parallel circuit therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said units of said plurality of receiver coils comprises a loop plane over-lapping partially an adjoining loop plane of an adjoining unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each unit of said plurality of receiver coils is connected to an adjoining unit by a capacitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said selected ones of said units of said plurality of receiver coils are one half of said units of said plurality of receiver coils.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said selected ones of said units of said plurality of receiver coils are one half of said units of said plurality of receivere coils.