MRI saddle based flexible array coil

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11656305-B2
Application number	US-202117464951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2021
Priority date	Oct 20, 2020
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a flexible magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) array coil configured to operate in at least one of a transmit (Tx) mode or a receive (Rx) mode. The MRI RF array coil includes a first row of saddle coil elements. At least a first saddle coil element and a second saddle coil element are in the first row. The first and second saddle coil elements partially overlap with one another. Each of the first and second saddle coil elements include a left loop and a right loop that is coupled to the left loop by two connection segments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) array coil configured to operate in at least one of a transmit (Tx) mode or a receive (Rx) mode, the flexible MRI RF array coil comprising:
a first row of saddle coil elements comprising at least a first saddle coil element and a second saddle coil element, wherein the first and second saddle coil elements partially overlap with one another, wherein the first and second saddle coil elements each comprise a left loop and a right loop coupled to the left loop by two connection segments, and wherein the left loop of the second saddle coil element surrounds and demarcates an area overlapping with and bordering the two connection segments of the first saddle coil element.

2. The flexible MRI RF array coil of claim 1 , wherein the right loop of the second saddle coil element overlaps with and borders both the left and right loops of the first saddle coil element.

3. The flexible MRI RF array of claim 1 , wherein the two connection segments cross only once between the left and right loops.

4. The flexible MRI RF array of claim 1 , wherein the first row of saddle coil elements has a flat profile.

5. The flexible MRI RF array of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second row of saddle coil elements comprising at least a third saddle coil element and a fourth saddle coil element, wherein the third and fourth saddle coil elements partially overlap with one another, wherein the second row of saddle coil elements partially overlaps with the first row of saddle coil elements in a B 0 direction, and wherein the third and fourth saddle coil elements each comprise a left loop and a right loop coupled to the left loop by two connection segments.

6. The flexible MRI RF array of claim 5 , wherein a total number of saddle coil elements in the second row is different than a total number of saddle coil elements in the first row.

7. The flexible MRI RF array of claim 5 , wherein a total number of saddle coil elements in the second row is equal to a total number of saddle coil elements in the first row.

8. The flexible MRI RF array coil of claim 1 , wherein the two connection segments of the first saddle coil element cross each other at a point, and wherein the left loop of the second saddle coil element surrounds the point.

9. The flexible MRI RF array coil of claim 1 , wherein the left loop of the second saddle coil element further overlaps with and borders both the left and right loops of the first saddle coil element.

10. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
a saddle based flexible array coil that comprises:
a first row of saddle coil elements, wherein the first row of saddle coil elements includes a plurality of first-row saddle coil elements overlapping one another circumferentially around an axis, wherein each of the first-row saddle coil elements comprises a pair of loops and a pair of connection segments, wherein the loops of the pair are separated from each other circumferentially around the axis, wherein the connection segments interconnect the loops and cross each other between the loops, wherein the plurality of first-row saddle coil elements comprises a first first-row saddle coil element, and wherein each of the loops of the first first-row saddle coil element has two or more turns.

11. The MRI system according to claim 10 , wherein each of the loops of the plurality of first-row saddle coil elements has two or more turns.

12. The MRI system according to claim 10 , wherein a first loop of the pair faces a second loop of the pair, and wherein the axis is arranged directly between the first loop and the second loop.

13. The MRI system according to claim 10 , wherein the saddle based flexible array coil is in a cylindrical configuration.

14. The MRI system according to claim 10 , wherein the saddle based flexible array coil is half cylindrical-like.

15. The MRI system according to claim 10 , wherein the connection segments cross each other at a point surrounded by a loop of a neighboring first-row saddle coil element.

16. The MRI system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a rigid or half-rigid base structure configured to surround a torso, a knee, a leg, a foot, a shoulder, an arm, a wrist, or a head, wherein the saddle based flexible array coil is fixed to the rigid or half-rigid base structure.

17. The MRI system of claim 16 , further comprising:
flexible straps fixed to the saddle based flexible array coil and configured to hold the saddle based flexible array coil in place during imaging of the torso, the knee, the leg, the foot, the shoulder, the arm, the wrist, or the head.

18. A method comprising:
providing a saddle based flexible array coil for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprising: a first row of saddle coil elements, wherein the first row comprises at least two saddle coil elements, wherein the at least two saddle coil elements partially overlap with one another and comprise a first saddle coil element and a second saddle coil element, wherein each saddle coil element has a pair of loops, including a first loop, coupled to one another by a pair of connection segments, wherein the first loop of the second saddle coil element overlaps with and borders a side of the first loop of the first saddle coil element from which the pair of connection segments of the first saddle coil element extend, and pwherein the pair of connection segments of the first saddle coil element extend along the first row; and
performing an MRI imaging process on a scan target using the saddle based flexible array coil in a receive (Rx) mode and/or a transmit (Tx) mode, wherein the loops of each saddle coil element are spaced far apart from one another to increase a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the MRI imaging process.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
wrapping the saddle based flexible array coil around the scan target, wherein the scan target is a human body part; and
using flexible straps to secure the saddle based flexible array coil around the scan target before performing the MRI imaging process.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pair of connection segments of the first saddle coil element cross each other at a point, and wherein the first loop of the second saddle coil element surrounds the point.

Assignees

• Quality Electrodynamics Llc

Inventors

• Yang Xiaoyu
• Zheng Tsinghua
• Reiderman Joshua Robert
• Finnerty Matthew
• Berendt David Michael
• Carlon John Thomas

Classifications

• G01R33/34084

  implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts · CPC title

• 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

• G01R33/3415 Primary

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

• G01R33/365

  Decoupling of multiple RF coils wherein the multiple RF coils have the same function in MR, e.g. decoupling of a receive coil from another receive coil in a receive coil array, decoupling of a transmission coil from another transmission coil in a transmission coil array · CPC title