Sterile RF coils for MR imaging systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459045-B2
Application number	US-201615082048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2016
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

Sterile RF coil arrangements for use in magnetic resonance imaging are provided. The sterile coil arrangements can be formed by spraying or coating a curable liquid onto an RF coil housing and allowing the liquid to cure or dry to form a continuous sterile layer on the coil housing. The thickness of the sterile layer can be between 100 and 1000 micrometers. The curable liquid can include an antimicrobial or antibacterial agent, such as silver ions or triclosan, to better maintain sterility of the coil arrangement. The curable liquid can be selected such that it adheres to the housing when cured and is also removable without leaving residue behind.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sterile RF coil arrangement for use in magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:
at least one RF conductive coil provided in a housing; and
a continuous layer of a curable substance provided on the outer surface of the housing, the curable substance having a formulation including a component to assist in removal of the curable substance from the housing outer surface, the continuous layer preventing a sterilization fluid from directly contacting the housing.

2. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the continuous layer has a thickness that is between 100 micrometers and 1000 micrometers.

3. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the curable substance is capable of being sprayed onto the housing to form the continuous layer.

4. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the curable substance is a curable liquid that can be provided on the housing by dipping the housing into the curable liquid.

5. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the continuous layer comprises at least one of an antimicrobial agent or an antibacterial agent.

6. The coil arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the at least one antimicrobial agent or antibacterial agent comprises at least one of colloidal silver, silver ions, triclosan, or polyhexamethylenebiguanide (PHMB).

7. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the curable substance can be cured by at least one of exposure to air, exposure to UV light, and exposure to heat.

8. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the curable substance has a color that is different than a color of the housing.

9. The coil arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the coil arrangement comprises a plurality of continuous layers of a curable substance provided on the housing.

10. A method for providing a sterile RF coil arrangement for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comprising:
applying a continuous layer of a curable liquid substance onto a housing of an RF coil, the curable liquid substance having a formulation that includes a component to assist removal of the curable liquid substance from the housing;
at least one of curing or drying the continuous layer to form an RF coil arrangement having a fluid-resistant coating, wherein the fluid-resistant coating facilitates sterilization of the RF coil arrangement using a sterilizing fluid, and the fluid-resistant coating prevents the sterilization fluid from directly contacting the RF coil housing;
sterilizing the RF coil arrangement;
performing a first MRI procedure using the RF coil arrangement;
subsequent to the first MRI procedure, removing the continuous layer; and
repeating the steps of applying and curing or drying.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the liquid substance is applied using a spraying procedure.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the liquid substance is applied using a dipping procedure.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the liquid substance comprises at least one of an antimicrobial agent or an antibacterial agent.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one antimicrobial agent or antibacterial agent comprises at least one of colloidal silver, silver ions, triclosan, or polyhexamethylenebiguanide (PHMB).

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the fluid-resistant coating is between 100 micrometers and 1000 micrometers.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of curing or drying comprises at least one of exposing the continuous layer to air, heating the continuous layer, or exposing the continuous layer to UV light.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the liquid substance is applied using at least one of a spraying procedure or a dipping procedure.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the curable liquid substance has a color that is different than a color of the housing.

19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
applying a plurality of continuous layers of the curable substance on the housing; and
curing or drying each of the plurality of continuous layers prior to applying a subsequent continuous layer of the plurality of continuous layers.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh
• Univ Johns Hopkins

Inventors

• Hengerer Arne
• Rothgang Eva
• Lauer Lars
• Lewin Jonathan
• Fritz Jan
• Weiss Clifford
• Macura Katarzyna J
• Bottomley Paul
• Gilson Wesley David

Classifications

• G01R33/34007

  Manufacture of RF coils, e.g. using printed circuit board technology; additional hardware for providing mechanical support to the RF coil assembly or to part thereof, e.g. a support for moving the coil assembly relative to the remainder of the MR system · CPC title

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61L2/232 Primary

  layered or coated · CPC title

• G01R33/3415

  comprising arrays of sub-coils {, i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels} · CPC title

• G01R33/34 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. resonators {, specially adapted to MR} · CPC title