SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE COIL ACTUATION
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic resonance (MR) coil elements;
a plurality of voltage-actuated switches coupled to the plurality of MR coil elements, each voltage-actuated switch configured to selectively activate a respective MR coil element;
a voltage source configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches;
a control unit coupled to the voltage source; and
a plurality of transmission lines coupled to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches and to the control unit and configured to provide an actuation signal from the voltage source to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches, the plurality of transmission lines being free of discrete resistive elements and having a substantially uniform resistivity such that an interaction between the plurality of transmission lines and the plurality of MR coil elements is minimized and thermal dissipation is distributed over a length of each of the plurality of transmission lines.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic resonance (MR) coil elements and a plurality of voltage-actuated switches coupled to the plurality of MR coil elements, each voltage-actuated switch configured to selectively activate a respective MR coil element. The apparatus also includes a voltage source configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches, a control unit coupled to the voltage source, and a plurality of transmission lines coupled to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches and to the control unit and configured to provide an actuation signal from the voltage source to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches. The plurality of transmission lines being free of discrete resistive elements and having a substantially uniform resistivity such that an interaction between the plurality of transmission lines and the plurality of MR coil elements is minimized and thermal dissipation is distributed over a length of each of the plurality of transmission lines.
26 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic resonance (MR) coil elements; a plurality of voltage-actuated switches coupled to the plurality of MR coil elements, each voltage-actuated switch configured to selectively activate a respective MR coil element; a voltage source configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches; a control unit coupled to the voltage source; and a plurality of transmission lines coupled to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches and to the control unit and configured to provide an actuation signal from the voltage source to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches, the plurality of transmission lines being free of discrete resistive elements and having a substantially uniform resistivity such that an interaction between the plurality of transmission lines and the plurality of MR coil elements is minimized and thermal dissipation is distributed over a length of each of the plurality of transmission lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A magnetic resonance (MR) system comprising:
a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a core of a magnet to impress a polarizing magnetic field and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to a MR coil assembly to acquire MR images, wherein the MR coil assembly comprises; a plurality of MR receiver coils; a plurality of voltage-actuated switches coupled to the plurality of MR receiver coils; a voltage source configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches; a driver configured to selectively activate the plurality of voltage-actuated switches via a voltage signal; and a plurality of low-conductivity resistive traces free of discrete resistors and coupled to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches and to the driver, the plurality of low-conductivity resistive traces configured to transmit the voltage signal from the driver to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for manufacturing an apparatus comprising:
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providing a plurality of magnetic resonance (MR) coil elements; coupling a plurality of electrostatic switches to the plurality of MR coil elements; configuring the plurality of electrostatic switches to selectively actuate the plurality of MR coil elements when a voltage potential is applied thereto; providing a control unit to drive the plurality of electrostatic switches; coupling a voltage supply to the control unit; coupling a plurality of transmission lines between the control unit and the plurality of electrostatic switches; and configuring the plurality of transmission lines to substantially uniformly dissipate energy between the voltage source and the plurality of electrostatic switches without discrete resistors and to distribute thermal dissipation is over a length of each of the plurality of transmission lines. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification