Array of coils for use in imaging the vasculature of a patient

• US 6,747,454 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Belt, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARANA, LOUIS M
• Application Number:
  US10/252,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20030062897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 324/318, 324/322, 324/300, 324/306, 324/307, 324/309, 324/312, 324/314, 600/420, 600/421, 600/422
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels

Abstract

An array of coils is configured for use in imaging the vasculature of a patient. The array of coils comprises first and second pluralities of coil pairs for deployment longitudinally along anterior and posterior surfaces, respectively, of the patient. In the first plurality, each coil pair has first and second loops positioned laterally about right and left sides, respectively, of the anterior surface for receiving therefrom magnetic resonance signals. In the second plurality, each coil pair has first and second loops positioned laterally about right and left sides, respectively, of the posterior surface for receiving therefrom magnetic resonance signals. Means are provided for laterally isolating the first and second loops relative to each other for each coil pair. Means are provided for longitudinally isolating the coil pairs relative to each other. Means also vertically isolate the coil pairs of the first plurality from those of the second plurality.

Claims

1. An array of coils configured for use in imaging a vasculature of a patient, said array of coils comprising:

(a) a first plurality of coil pairs for deployment longitudinally along an anterior surface of the patient, each of said coil pairs of said first plurality having first and second loops positioned laterally about right and left sides, respectively, of the anterior surface for receiving from a portion of the patient corresponding thereto magnetic resonance signals emitted thereby;

(b) a second plurality of coil pairs for deployment longitudinally along a posterior surface of the patient, each of said coil pairs of said second plurality having first and second loops positioned laterally about right and left sides, respectively, of the posterior surface for receiving from a portion of the patient corresponding thereto magnetic resonance signals emitted thereby;

(c) means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops relative to each other for each of said coil pairs of said first and said second pluralities of coil pairs;

(d) means for longitudinally isolating said coil pairs relative to each other for each of said first and said second pluralities of coil pairs; and

(e) means for vertically isolating said coil pairs of said first plurality from said coil pairs of said second plurality.

2. The array of coils of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of coil pairs are deployed longitudinally along the anterior surface of the patient from approximately an abdominal/pelvic region thereof to a feet region thereof inclusive of an upper leg region, a knee region, a knee/shin region, a shin/ankle region and a feet region, said coil pairs of said first plurality including:

(a) a first coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the abdominal/pelvic region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately an abdominal/pelvic portion of the vasculature;

(b) a second coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned about the right and left sides, respectively, of the upper leg region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a femoral portion of the vasculature;

(c) a third coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee portion of the vasculature;

(d) a fourth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee/shin region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee/shin portion of the vasculature;

(e) a fifth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the shin/ankle region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a shin/ankle portion of the vasculature; and

(f) a sixth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the feet region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a feet portion of the vasculature.

3. The array of coils of claim 2 wherein said second plurality of coil pairs are deployed longitudinally along the posterior surface of the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to the feet region thereof, said coil pairs of said second plurality including:

(a) a first coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the renal region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a renal portion of the vasculature;

(b) a second coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the upper leg region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately the femoral portion of the vasculature;

(c) a third coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately the knee portion of the vasculature;

(d) a fourth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee/shin region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately the knee/shin portion of the vasculature;

(e) a fifth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the shin/ankle region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately the shin/ankle portion of the vasculature; and

(f) a sixth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the feet region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately the feet portion of the vasculature.

4. The array of coils of claim 3 wherein said means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops includes:

(a) critical partial overlapping of said first and said second loops for each of said first coil pair of said first plurality and said first coil pair of said second plurality; and

(b) an isolation network interconnecting said first and said second loops for each of said second, said third, said fourth, said fifth and said sixth coil pairs for said first and said second pluralities.

5. The array of coils of claim 4 wherein said isolation network for each of said fourth, said fifth, and said sixth coil pairs for said first and said second pluralities enables said coil pairs thereof to be operated in (A) a unilateral left mode of operation, (B) a unilateral right mode of operation, and (C) a bilateral mode of operation.

6. The array of coils of claim 5 wherein said means for longitudinally isolating said coil pairs includes:

(a) critical partial overlapping of said coil pairs longitudinally neighboring each other for said first through said sixth coil pairs of said first plurality; and

(b) critical partial overlapping of said coil pairs longitudinally neighboring each other for said second through said sixth coil pairs of said second plurality.

7. The array of coils of claim 6 wherein said means for vertically isolating said coil pairs includes deploying each of said coil pairs of said first plurality at a non-coplanar distance from and at least partially overlying a corresponding one of said coil pairs of said second plurality, with each of said coil pairs of said first plurality and said coil pair of said second plurality corresponding thereto forming a vertically opposed set of coil pairs.

8. The array of coils of claim 7 wherein, for at least some of said vertically opposed sets of coil pairs, of said coil pair of said first plurality and said coil pair of said second plurality one is of a co-rotating type and an other is of a counter-rotating type.

9. The array of coils of claim 7 wherein said isolation of said coil pairs is substantially maintained as a vertical offset between any of said coil pairs of any of said vertically opposed sets is adjusted.

10. The array of coils of claim 9 wherein said isolation of said coil pairs is substantially maintained as an offset between neighboring ones of said coil pairs is adjusted in a longitudinal direction.

11. The array of coils of claim 1, wherein said second plurality of coil pairs are deployed longitudinally along the posterior surface of the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to a feet region thereof inclusive of an upper leg region, a knee region, a knee/shin region, a shin/snide region and a feet region, said coil pairs of said second plurality including:

(a) a first coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the renal region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a renal portion of the vasculature;

(b) a second coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the upper leg region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a femoral portion of the vasculature;

(c) a third coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee portion of the vasculature;

(d) a fourth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee/shin region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee/shin portion of the vasculature;

(e) a fifth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the shin/ankle region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a shin/ankle portion of the vasculature; and

(f) a sixth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the feet region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a feet portion of the vasculature.

12. The array of coils of claim 1 wherein said means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops includes at least one of:

(a) critical partial overlapping of said first and said second loops for each of selected ones of said coil pairs of said first and said second pluralities of coil pairs; and

(b) an isolation network interconnecting said first and said second loops for each of chosen ones of said coil pairs of said first and said second pluralities of coil pairs.

13. The array of coils of claim 12 wherein said isolation network for each of specific ones of said chosen coil pairs enables said coil pairs thereof to be operated in (A) a unilateral left mode of operation, (B) a unilateral right mode of operation, and (C) a bilateral mode of operation.

14. The array of coils of claim 1 wherein said means for longitudinally isolating said coil pairs includes critical partial overlapping of said coil pairs longitudinally neighboring each other for particular ones of said coil pairs of said first and said second pluralities of coil pairs.

15. The array of coils of claim 1 wherein said means for vertically isolating said coil pairs includes deploying each of said coil pairs of said first plurality at a non-coplanar distance from and at least partially overlying a corresponding one of said coil pairs of said second plurality, with each of said coil pairs of said first plurality and said coil pair of said second plurality corresponding thereto forming a vertically opposed set of coil pairs.

16. The array of coils of claim 15 wherein, for at least some of said vertically opposed sets of coil pairs, of said coil pair of said first plurality and said coil pair of said second plurality one is of a co-rotating type and an other is of a counter-rotating type.

17. The array of coils of claim 1 wherein said isolation of said coil pairs is substantially maintained as said coil pairs of at least one of said first and said second pluralities is adjusted telescopically.

18. An array of coils configured for use in imaging a vasculature of a patient, said array of coils comprising:

(a) a plurality of coil pairs for deployment longitudinally along a surface of the patient, each of said coil pairs of said plurality having first and second loops positioned laterally about right and left sides, respectively, of the surface for receiving from a portion of the patient corresponding thereto magnetic resonance signals emitted thereby,

(b) means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops relative to each other for each of said coil pairs of said plurality of coil pairs; and

(c) means for longitudinally isolating said coil pairs relative to each other for each of said coil pairs of said plurality of coil pairs.

19. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said plurality of coil pairs are deployed longitudinally along the surface of the patient from approximately a torso region thereof to a feet region thereof inclusive of an upper leg region, a knee region, a knee/shin region, a shin/ankle region and a feet region, said coil pairs of said plurality including:

(a) a first coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the torso region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a torso portion of the vasculature;

(b) a second coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the upper leg region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a femoral portion of the vasculature;

(c) a third coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee portion of the vasculature;

(d) a fourth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the knee/shin region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a knee/shin portion of the vasculature;

(e) a fifth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the shin/ankle region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a shin/ankle portion of the vasculature; and

(f) a sixth coil pair whose said first and said second loops are positioned laterally about the right and left sides, respectively, of the feet region for receiving the magnetic resonance signals from approximately a feet portion of the vasculature.

20. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops includes at least one of:

(a) critical partial overlapping of said first and said second loops for each of selected ones of said coil pairs of said plurality of coil pairs; and

(b) an isolation network interconnecting said first and said second loops for each of chosen ones of said coil pairs of said plurality of coil pairs.

21. The array of coils of claim 20 wherein said isolation network for each of specific ones of said chosen coil pairs enables said coil pairs thereof to be operated in (A) a unilateral left mode of operation, (B) a unilateral right mode of operation, and (C) a bilateral mode of operation.

22. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said means for laterally isolating said first and said second loops includes for each of said coil pairs an isolation network interconnecting said first and said second loops, said isolation networks enabling the array of coils to be operated in (A) a unilateral left mode of operation, (B) a unilateral right mode of operation, and (C) a bilateral mode of operation.

23. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said means for longitudinally isolating said coil pairs includes critical partial overlapping of said coil pairs longitudinally neighboring each other for particular ones of said coil pairs of said plurality of coil pairs.

24. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said isolation of said coil pairs is substantially maintained as an offset between neighboring ones of said coil pairs is adjusted in a longitudinal direction.

25. The array of coils of claim 18 wherein said isolation of said coil pairs is substantially maintained as said coil pairs of plurality of coil pairs is adjusted telescopically.