Radio Frequency Coil Device and Magnetic Resonance Imaging System

• US 20130234714A1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wang, Jian Min, Li, Wen Ming, Liu, Yu Ye
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/322
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34092 RF coils specially adapted for NMR spectrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3664 Switching for purposes other than coil coupling or decoupling, e.g. switching between a phased array mode and a quadrature mode, switching between surface coil modes of different geometrical shapes, switching from a whole body reception coil to a local reception coil or switching for automatic coil selection in moving table MR or for changing the field-of-view G01R33/3671 takes precedence

Abstract

An RF coil device and an MRI system are provided. The RF coil device includes m coil elements, where m is an integer greater than 1. The RF coil device also includes an RF switch control unit including n output terminals and m input terminals connected to the m coil elements, respectively, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than m. The RF coil device includes a decoder for outputting a control signal to the RF switch control unit according to a received control command. The RF switch control unit connects each of not more than n input terminals to a different output terminal according to the control signal.

Claims

1. A radio frequency coil device comprising:

m coil elements, wherein m is an integer greater than 1;

an RF switch control unit comprising n output terminals and m input terminals connected to the m coil elements, respectively, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than m; and

a decoder operable to output a control signal to the RF switch control unit according to a received control command,

wherein the RF switch control unit connects each n of less input terminals to a different output terminal according to the control signal.

2. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decoder is connected to n on/off control lines and is operable to receive control commands from the n on/off control lines.

3. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decoder is connected to fewer than n on/off control lines and is operable to receive control commands from the on/off control lines.

4. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control command comprises a clock command and configuration data, and

wherein the decoder is operable to:

enter an active state or a sleep state according to the clock command, received from one of the on/off control lines; and

receive the configuration data according to one or more other on/off control lines of the on/off control lines.

5. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control command comprises a clock command and configuration data;

and

the decoder is operable to;

enter an active state according to the clock command, received from one of the on/off control lines; and

enter a sleep state automatically after parsing the control command; and

receive the configuration data according to one or more other on/off control lines of the on/off control lines.

6. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF switch control unit comprises at least one multi-selector switch,

wherein a plurality of input terminals of the multi-selector switch are each connected to a different one of the coil elements,

wherein an output terminal of the multi-selector switch serves as an output terminal of the RF switch control unit, and

wherein a control terminal of the multi-selector switch is connected to the decoder.

7. The radio frequency coil device as claimed in claim 2, wherein any of the on/off control lines is connected to one of the coil elements, or

wherein any of the on/off control lines is connected to a plurality of the coil elements that are consecutive in terms of position.

8. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

at least one radio frequency coil device comprising;

m coil elements, wherein m is an integer greater than 1;

an RF switch control unit comprising n output terminals and m input terminals connected to the m coil elements, respectively, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than m; and

a decoder operable to output a control signal to the RF switch control unit according to a received control command, wherein the RF switch control unit connects each n of less input terminals to a different output terminal according to the control signal;

an imaging control device comprising;

an interface unit; and

a control unit operable to send, through the interface unit, the control command and on/off commands for controlling on/off switching of the coil elements;

n on/off control lines connecting the interface unit with the coil elements, the connection of the interface unit with the coil elements operable for transmitting the on/off commands sent by the control unit to the coil elements, wherein all or some of the on/off control lines are also connected to the interface unit and the decoder, the connection of the interface unit and the decoder operable for transmitting control commands sent by the control unit to the decoder; and

n RF channels connected to the output terminals of the RF switch control unit and to the interface unit.

9. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein signals transmitted by all of the on/off control lines constitute a control command when all of the on/off control lines are connected to the interface unit and the decoder.

10. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control unit is operable to send a control command for activation to the decoder, so that the decoder enters an active state, and

wherein the control unit is operable to stop processing received RF signals when sending the control command for activation.

11. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control command comprises a clock command and configuration data, and

wherein when some of the on/off control lines are connected to the interface unit and the decoder, one of the on/off control lines is operable to transmit a clock command to the decoder, so as to control the decoder to enter an active state, a sleep state, or the active state and the sleep state, and one or more other on/off control lines of the on/off control lines are operable to transmit configuration data to the decoder.

12. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the decoder is connected to n on/off control lines and is operable to receive control commands from the n on/off control lines.

13. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the decoder is connected to fewer than n on/off control lines and is operable to receive control commands from the on/off control lines.

14. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control command comprises a clock command and configuration data, and

wherein the decoder is operable to:

enter an active state or a sleep state according to the clock command, received from one of the on/off control lines; and

receive the configuration data according to one or more other on/off control lines of the on/off control lines.

15. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control command comprises a clock command and configuration data;

and

the decoder is operable to;

enter an active state according to the clock command, received from one of the on/off control lines; and

enter a sleep state automatically after parsing the control command; and

receive the configuration data according to one or more other on/off control lines of the on/off control lines.

16. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the RF switch control unit comprises at least one multi-selector switch,

wherein a plurality of input terminals of the multi-selector switch are each connected to a different one of the coil elements,

wherein an output terminal of the multi-selector switch serves as an output terminal of the RF switch control unit, and

wherein a control terminal of the multi-selector switch is connected to the decoder.

17. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 12, wherein any of the on/off control lines is connected to one of the coil elements, or

wherein any of the on/off control lines is connected to a plurality of the coil elements that are consecutive in terms of position.