Balun arrangement and installation method thereof for a magnetic resonance apparatus

• US 7,215,121 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sambandamurthy, Sriram, Hsieh, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Shrivastav; Brij
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetzner; Tiffany A.
• Application Number:
  US10/938,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 969 Days
• Field of Search: 324/322
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3628 Tuning/matching of the transmit/receive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3685 Means for reducing sheath currents, e.g. RF traps, baluns

Abstract

A balun arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus which in some embodiments further comprises a cable member comprising at least one first ground end and at least one second ground end. A first capacitive element is electrically coupled to said first ground end and second ground end, wherein the cable member comprises a predetermined large surface area for dissipating substantial quantity of heat generated within the cable member.

Claims

1. A balun arrangement that is usable with a magnetic resonance apparatus at resonance comprising:

a cable member having at least one first ground end and at least one second ground end; and

at least one first capacitive element including a first terminal and a second terminal, said first capacitive element electrically coupled to said first ground end and second ground end,

said cable member configured to have a predetermined large surface between the first ground end and the second ground end, wherein the surface dissipates a substantial quantity of heat from the cable member, and

a mounting block having a groove,

wherein the cable member comprises at least one bent portion, wherein the bent portion provides a predetermined large surface area for the cable member, and

wherein the cable member is secured to the mounting block at the groove, with the mounting block being operable in order to maintain the cable member in a position predetermined to be substantially free from vibrations arising out of a high magnetic field when the balun arrangement is within a magnetic resonance apparatus at resonance.

2. A balun arrangement according to claim 1 further comprises a printed circuit board including a plurality of apertures wherein the cable member is connected to the printed circuit board by a soldered wire through the apertures on to the printer circuit board.

3. A balun arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a component side and a solder side, wherein a first capacitive element is mounted on the component side and a solder board is mounted on the solder side of the printed circuit board.

4. A balun arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the cable member further comprises a co-axial cable.

5. A balun arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the co-axial cable further comprises a semi-rigid material.

6. A balun arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a second capacitive element configured to have a capacitance value predetermined to generate resonance at a predetermined frequency in combination with the first capacitive element.

7. A balun arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion further comprises at least one of a substantially S-shape, C-shape, U-shape, L-shape, Z-shape, concord shape and combinations thereof.

8. A balun arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein the mounting block is constructed out of a non-magnetic material.

9. A magnetic resonance apparatus, comprising:

a magnetic resonance coil; and

a balun arrangement mounted to said magnetic resonance coil;

said balun arrangement comprising

at least one cable member in combination with at least one capacitive element; and

a mounting block having a groove, which holds the balun arrangement intact with the cable member being secured to the mounting block at the groove, wherein;

said combination of the magnetic resonance coil, cable member, the at least one capacitive element, and mounting block is configured for;

(i) providing ground-to-ground isolation of the cable member;

(ii) dissipating a substantial quantity of heat from the cable member; and

(iii) maintaining the cable member in a position predetermined to maintain the balun arrangement substantially free from vibrations arising out of a high magnetic field in a magnetic resonance apparatus at resonance, and

wherein the cable member comprises at least one bent portion, with the bent portion providing the cable member with a predetermined large surface area that is utilized in the dissipating of a substantial quantity of heat from the cable member.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the apparatus further comprises a printed circuit board including a plurality of apertures wherein the cable member is connected to the printed circuit board by a soldered wire through the apertures on to the printer circuit board.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a component side and a solder side, wherein a first capacitive element is mounted on the component side and a solder board is mounted on the solder side of the printed circuit board.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cable member further comprises a semi-rigid material.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the cable member further comprises a coaxial cable.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the combination is configured to generate resonance at a frequency predetermined to provide ground-to-ground isolation for the cable member.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the bent portion further comprises at least one of a substantially S-shape, C-shape, U-shape, L-shape, Z-shape, concord shape and combinations thereof.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the mounting block further comprises a plastic material.

17. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the mounting block further comprises acetal.

18. An apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a printed circuit board including a plurality of apertures wherein the cable member is connected to the printed circuit board by a soldered wire through the apertures on to the printed circuit board.

19. A method of installing a balun arrangement within a magnetic resonance apparatus, comprising:

mounting a balun arrangement comprising a cable member in combination with one or more capacitive elements on to, a magnetic resonance coil;

mounting a mounting block having a groove, to said magnetic resonance coil, and to said balun arrangement;

wherein the mounting block is in a position predetermined to maintain the balun arrangement substantially free from vibrations of the cable member arising out of a high magnetic field at resonance; and

tuning the combination of said magnetic resonance coil, cable member, and said one or more capacitive elements, in order to resonate at a frequency predetermined to provide ground-to-ground isolation for the cable member;

wherein the cable member comprises at least one bent portion, with the bent portion of the cable member providing a predetermined large surface area; and

wherein the surface area of the cable member is predetermined to dissipate a substantial quantity of heat from the cable member.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the cable member is a semi-rigid coaxial cable.