Method and Apparatus for Providing a Wireless Multiple-Frequency MR Coil
First Claim
1. A method for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:
- implanting an implant structure into a body, wherein the implant structure comprises;
a RF coil, wherein the RF coil detects changing magnetic fields and produces and output RF signal;
a mechanism for adjusting an impedance of the RF coil so as to select a resonance frequency of the RF coil, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the impedance of the RF coil is capable of receiving input regarding a desired resonance frequency;
locating an external RF coil external to the body, wherein the external RF coil is inductively coupled to the RF coil;
exciting a portion of the body proximate the implant structure with RF excitation;
detecting the output RF signal produced by the RF coil and inductively coupled to the external RF coil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention pertain to a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/S). In a specific embodiment, the method and apparatus for MRI/S can be applied at two or more resonant frequencies utilizing a wireless RF receiving coil. In an embodiment, the wireless coil, which can be referred to as the implant coil, can be incorporated into an implantable structure. The implantable structure can then be implanted in a living body. The wireless RF receiving coil can be inductively coupled to another RF coil, which can be referred to as an external coil, for receiving the signal from the wireless implant RF coil. In an embodiment, the implantable structure can be a capsule compatible with implantation in a living body. The implantable structure can incorporate a mechanism for adjusting the impedance of the implant coil so as to alter the resonance frequency of the implant coil. In a specific embodiment, the mechanism for adjusting the impedance of the implant coil can allow the implant coil to receive at least two resonance frequencies. In an embodiment, the implant coil can receive three resonance frequencies and in a further embodiment, the implant coil can receive any number resonance frequencies. These resonance frequencies can be controlled by adjusting the impedance of the implant coil. In an embodiment, the resonance frequencies of the implant coil are selected to correlate to MRI/S signals received from living tissues.
173 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:
implanting an implant structure into a body, wherein the implant structure comprises; a RF coil, wherein the RF coil detects changing magnetic fields and produces and output RF signal; a mechanism for adjusting an impedance of the RF coil so as to select a resonance frequency of the RF coil, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the impedance of the RF coil is capable of receiving input regarding a desired resonance frequency; locating an external RF coil external to the body, wherein the external RF coil is inductively coupled to the RF coil; exciting a portion of the body proximate the implant structure with RF excitation; detecting the output RF signal produced by the RF coil and inductively coupled to the external RF coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 32, 33)
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23. An apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:
an implant structure, wherein the implant structure comprises; a RF coil, wherein, upon exciting a portion of the body proximate the implant structure, the RF coil detects changing magnetic fields and produces and output RF signal; a mechanism for adjusting an impedance of the RF coil so as to select a resonance frequency of the RF coil, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the impedance of the RF coil is capable of receiving input regarding a desired resonance frequency; an external RF coil, wherein the external RF coil is inductively coupled to the RF coil; a detector, wherein the detector detects the output RF signal produced by the RF coil and inductively coupled to the external RF coil. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
Specification