Apparatus and method to reduce noise in magnetic resonance imaging systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
- a gantry having a bore therethrough;
at least one radio frequency (RF) coil supported by the gantry for imaging an object within the bore with a volume defined between the at least one RF coil and the bore;
a patient enclosure (PE) tube including a cavity defining a vacuum space between the at least one RF coil and the bore that substantially encompasses an entirety of the volume defined between the at least one RF coil and the bore, the PE tube having ends disposed opposite each other along an axis of the bore; and
mounting structures coupling the ends of the PE tube to a non-vibrating system magnet, wherein each of the ends of the PE tube has at least one mounting structure coupled thereto.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method to reduce noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems are provided. One MRI system includes a gantry having a bore therethrough and at least one radio frequency (RF) coil supported by the gantry for imaging an object within the bore. The MRI system also includes a vacuum space between the at least one RF coil and the bore.
18 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
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a gantry having a bore therethrough; at least one radio frequency (RF) coil supported by the gantry for imaging an object within the bore with a volume defined between the at least one RF coil and the bore; a patient enclosure (PE) tube including a cavity defining a vacuum space between the at least one RF coil and the bore that substantially encompasses an entirety of the volume defined between the at least one RF coil and the bore, the PE tube having ends disposed opposite each other along an axis of the bore; and mounting structures coupling the ends of the PE tube to a non-vibrating system magnet, wherein each of the ends of the PE tube has at least one mounting structure coupled thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system gantry comprising:
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a gantry housing having a bore therethrough having an axial length and a circumference; at least one MRI coil supported by the gantry for imaging an object within the bore; and a patient enclosure (PE) tube including a hollow cavity defining a space between the at least one MRI coil and the bore, the space formed along substantially an entirety of an axial length of the PE tube between ends of the PE tube and substantially an entirety of the circumference between the at least one MRI coil and the bore; and mounting structures coupling the ends of the PE tube to a non-vibrating system magnet, wherein each of the ends of the PE tube has at least one mounting structure coupled thereto. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for reducing acoustic noise in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the method comprising:
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providing a patient enclosure (PE) tube forming an air space between a radio frequency (RF) coil and a bore of a gantry of the MRI system that extends between ends of the PE tube along substantially an entirety of an axial length of the PE tube and substantially an entirety of a circumference between the RF coil and the bore; coupling the ends of the PE tube to a non-vibrating system magnet with mounting structures, wherein each of the ends of the PE tube has at least one mounting structure coupled thereto; and creating and maintaining a low pressure environment within the air space.
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Specification