System and method of obtaining images and spectra of intracavity structures using 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance systems
First Claim
1. An intracavity probe for use with a magnetic resonance (MR) system for obtaining images or spectra of a region of interest within a cavity of a patient, said intracavity probe comprising:
- (a) a coil loop for receiving MR signals from said region of interest, said coil loop having a plurality of capacitors therein, said plurality of capacitors including (i) a first drive capacitor and a second drive capacitor of approximately equal value serially connected within said coil loop and at a junction node thereof forming a virtual ground for electrically balancing and impedance matching said coil loop and (ii) a tuning capacitor serially connected within said coil loop diametrically opposite said junction node of said drive capacitors and having a value selected to resonate said coil loop at an operating frequency of said MR system; and
(b) an output cable for connecting said coil loop to an interface device for said intracavity probe, said output cable at one end thereof being connected across one of said drive capacitors and at an other end thereof having a plug for connection to said interface device, said output cable having an electrical length of n(λ
/2)+SL wherein n is an integer, λ
is a wavelength of said operating frequency of said MR system, and SL is a supplemental length whose reactance is of a same magnitude as a reactance of one of said drive capacitors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An MR system features an intracavity probe and associated interface device. The probe includes a shaft, a balloon at one end thereof, and a coil loop within the balloon. The loop has two drive capacitors and a tuning capacitor, all of which in series. A junction node between the drive capacitors serves as a ground for electrically balancing the loop. Diametrically opposite the node, the tuning capacitor enables the loop to resonate at the operating frequency of the MR system. The interface allows the MR system to couple the loop to a port of the MR system during a receive cycle thereof and decouple it from the port during a transmit cycle thereof. With its balloon inserted and inflated within a cavity of a patient, the probe allows the MR system to generate images and/or spectra of the region of interest using the MR signals received by the loop.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An intracavity probe for use with a magnetic resonance (MR) system for obtaining images or spectra of a region of interest within a cavity of a patient, said intracavity probe comprising:
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(a) a coil loop for receiving MR signals from said region of interest, said coil loop having a plurality of capacitors therein, said plurality of capacitors including (i) a first drive capacitor and a second drive capacitor of approximately equal value serially connected within said coil loop and at a junction node thereof forming a virtual ground for electrically balancing and impedance matching said coil loop and (ii) a tuning capacitor serially connected within said coil loop diametrically opposite said junction node of said drive capacitors and having a value selected to resonate said coil loop at an operating frequency of said MR system; and (b) an output cable for connecting said coil loop to an interface device for said intracavity probe, said output cable at one end thereof being connected across one of said drive capacitors and at an other end thereof having a plug for connection to said interface device, said output cable having an electrical length of n(λ
/2)+SL wherein n is an integer, λ
is a wavelength of said operating frequency of said MR system, and SL is a supplemental length whose reactance is of a same magnitude as a reactance of one of said drive capacitors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification