Microstrip coil designs for MRI devices
First Claim
1. A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging, comprising:
- a shield support member having an outer surface and an interior, the outer surface supporting a conductive segmented shield;
an inner core module disposed within the interior of the shield support member and having an inner surface and a longitudinal axis and a bore extending through the inner core module along the longitudinal axis and defining the inner surface;
a plurality of conductive strip lines disposed on the inner surface of the inner core module and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of components that electrically couple and operatively connect the conductive strip lines to the segmented shield; and
an opening formed at one end of the coil and defined by a slot formed in the shield support member and in the inner core module for placement over eyes of a patient, the opening causing the coil to have an asymmetrical design.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a coil former defined by an inner core member and a shield support that surrounds the inner core member. An outer surface of the shield support supports a conductive segmented shield and a plurality of conductive strip lines are disposed on an inner surface of the inner core module and extend parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof. According to one aspect of the present invention, all of the strip lines are not homogenous so as to introduce asymmetry into the coil design.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging, comprising:
- a shield support member having an outer surface and an interior, the outer surface supporting a conductive segmented shield;
an inner core module disposed within the interior of the shield support member and having an inner surface and a longitudinal axis and a bore extending through the inner core module along the longitudinal axis and defining the inner surface;
a plurality of conductive strip lines disposed on the inner surface of the inner core module and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of components that electrically couple and operatively connect the conductive strip lines to the segmented shield; and
an opening formed at one end of the coil and defined by a slot formed in the shield support member and in the inner core module for placement over eyes of a patient, the opening causing the coil to have an asymmetrical design. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- a shield support member having an outer surface and an interior, the outer surface supporting a conductive segmented shield;
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14. A hybrid microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging, comprising:
- a shield support member having an outer surface and an interior, the outer surface supporting a conductive segmented shield;
an inner core module disposed within the interior of the shield support member and having an inner surface and a longitudinal axis and a bore extending through the inner core module along the longitudinal axis and defining the inner surface;
a plurality of conductive strip lines disposed on the inner surface of the inner core module and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein a first end of the coil has a transversal electromagnetic (TEM) resonator structure, with ends of the strips lines that face the first end being electrically connected to the segmented shield by means of first electrical components; and
a conductive end ring disposed at an opposite second end of the coil, with the strip lines being terminated through and electrically connected to the conductive ring by means of second electrical components, the first end of the coil being free of a conductive ring. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- a shield support member having an outer surface and an interior, the outer surface supporting a conductive segmented shield;
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23. A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging, comprising:
- a coil former defined by an inner core member and a shield support that surrounds the inner core member, with an outer surface of the shield support supporting a conductive segmented shield and a plurality of conductive strip lines disposed on an inner surface of the inner core module and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, the strip lines being electrically connected to the segmented shield, and wherein all of the strip lines are not homogeneous so as to introduce asymmetry into the coil design.
- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging, comprising:
- a coil former defined by an inner core member and a shield support that surrounds the inner core member, with an outer surface of the shield support supporting a conductive segmented shield and a plurality of conductive strip lines disposed on an inner surface of the inner core module and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein the conductive strip lines include at least one first strip line that is shorter in length than a plurality of second strip lines, the first and second strip lines being electrically connected to the segmented shield by means of tuning capacitors, with a tuning capacitor associated with each first strip line having a capacitor value that is different from a value of a tuning capacitor that is associated with one second strip line.
- View Dependent Claims (30)
Specification