Local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system and magnetic resonance imaging system

• US 9,910,113 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Vester, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Arana, Louis
• Application Number:
  US13/923,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20130342198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 324322, 324318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3621 NMR receivers or demodulators, e.g. preamplifiers, means for frequency modulation of the MR signal using a digital down converter, means for analog to digital conversion [ADC] or for filtering or processing of the MR signal such as bandpass filtering, resampling, decimation or interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3692 involving signal transmission without using electrically conductive connections, e.g. wireless communication or optical communication of the MR signal or an auxiliary signal other than the MR signal

Abstract

A local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquisition of magnetic resonance signals includes a receiving mechanism for wireless transmission of operating energy of the local coil and/or a signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system. The receiving mechanism is configured to take the operating energy and/or the signal from a supply field. A magnetic resonance imaging system is also provided. The magnetic resonance imaging system includes a transmitting mechanism for wireless transmission of operating energy of a local coil and/or a signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system. The transmitting mechanism has a transmission signal generator that is connected to a field source and a field sink. The transmitting mechanism is constructed such that, in operation, the operating energy and/or the signal is transmitted by a supply field that is present as an electrical alternating voltage field between the field source and the field sink.

Claims

1. A local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquisition of magnetic resonance signals, the local coil comprising:

an antenna configured, due to an electric potential difference of a supply field present in a region of the local coil, to generate a current flow; and

a receiving mechanism for wireless transmission of operating energy of the local coil or the operating energy and a signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system,

wherein the receiving mechanism is operable to take the operating energy or the operating energy and the signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system from the supply field configured as an electrical alternating field between a field source and a field sink, and

wherein the receiving mechanism is configured such that the operating energy of the local coil or the operating energy and the signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system is taken from the current flow.

2. The local coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an arrangement with a substantially flat first electrode and a second electrode, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged spaced apart from each other.

3. The local coil as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the local coil is arranged in the supply field, the first electrode and the second electrode are substantially spaced apart in a direction of the supply field,

wherein the spacing between the first electrode and the second electrode defines a field axis and, when the local coil is operated, the field axis extends substantially transversely.

4. The local coil as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the local coil is operated as prescribed, the field axis extends at an angle of between 45°

and 135°

to a closest surface of the local coil facing an object under investigation.

5. The local coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving mechanism comprises an antenna with a plurality of antenna elements, and

wherein, when the local coil is in operation, magnetic resonance signals are acquirable with the aid of an antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements.

6. The local coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving mechanism comprises a plurality of antennas, and

wherein a common, substantially flat, first electrode is used for the plurality of antennas.

7. The local coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving mechanism comprises an impedance-matching mechanism.

8. The local coil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an impedance-matching mechanism.

9. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

a transmitting mechanism for wireless transmission of operating energy of a local coil or the operating energy and a signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system,

wherein the transmitting mechanism comprises a transmission signal generator that is connected to a field source and a field sink,

wherein the transmitting mechanism is configured such that, in operation, the operating energy or the operating energy and the signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system are transmitted by a current flow generated due to an electric potential difference of a supply field that is present as an electrical alternating field between the field source and the field sink.

10. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transmitting mechanism is configured to vary a transmission field strength, transmission voltage, transmission power, transmission current, or a combination thereof in dependence on a position of an object under investigation.

11. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein one field electrode, which, in operation, forms the field source or the field sink, is arranged in a region of a patient tunnel of the magnetic resonance imaging system, and a further field electrode, which, in operation, forms the field sink or the field source, is substantially arranged in a region of a patient table.

12. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the field source, the field sink, or the field source and the field sink comprise a plurality of electrode segments that are wired such that the plurality of electrode segments are adjustable to transmit the supply field with an individual segment field strength.

13. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 12, wherein, to adjust the individual segment field strength for each electrode segment of the plurality of electrode segments, the magnetic resonance imaging system has an individually adjustable current limiting resistor for each of the electrode segments.

14. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising, with the aid of an electrode segment, a tunable LC circuit,

wherein the tuning of the LC circuit is performable with an acquisition of a position of an object under investigation.

15. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a local coil, the local coil comprising:

a receiving mechanism for wireless transmission of the operating energy of the local coil, the signal of the magnetic resonance imaging system, or the operating energy and the signal,

wherein the receiving mechanism is operable to take the operating energy, the signal, or the operating energy and the signal from the supply field.

16. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein one field electrode, which, in operation, forms the field source or the field sink, is arranged in a region of a patient tunnel of the magnetic resonance imaging system, and a further field electrode, which, in operation, forms the field sink or the field source, is substantially arranged in a region of a patient table.

17. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the field source, the field sink, or the field source and the field sink comprise a plurality of electrode segments that are wired such that the plurality of electrode segments are adjustable to transmit the supply field with an individual segment field strength.

18. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising, with the aid of an electrode segment, a tunable LC circuit,

wherein the tuning of the LC circuit is performable with an acquisition of a position of an object under investigation.

19. A method for transmission of operating energy or the operating energy and a signal by a supply field, to a local coil of a magnetic resonance imaging system, the method comprising:

connecting the supply field as an electrical alternating voltage field between a field source and a field sink of the magnetic resonance imaging system, and taking the operating energy or the operating energy and the signal from a current flow generated due to an electric potential difference of the supply field.