Low field magnetic resonance imaging methods and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9817093-B2
Application number	US-201514845652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

According to some aspects, a laminate panel is provided. The laminate panel comprises at least one laminate layer including at least one non-conductive layer and at least one conductive layer patterned to form at least a portion of a B 0 coil configured to contribute to a B 0 field suitable for use in low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A component for use in magnetic resonance imaging of an object, the component comprising:
a B 0 magnet configured to produce a static B 0 magnetic field to align atomic spins of the object in a direction of the B 0 magnetic field for performing magnetic resonance imaging, the B 0 magnet comprising at least one laminate panel comprising at least one laminate layer including at least one non-conductive layer and at least one conductive layer patterned to form at least one B 0 coil configured to produce, when operated, substantially all of the static B 0 magnetic field.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminate layer comprises a plurality of laminate layers having formed thereon the at least one B 0 coil configured to generate the static B 0 magnetic field.

3. The component of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of laminate layers has at least one B 0 coil formed thereon.

4. The component of claim 3 , further comprising one or more vias electrically connecting the at least one B 0 coil formed on each of the plurality of layers.

5. The component of claim 4 , wherein the one or more vias are arranged to reduce parasitic effects on the static B 0 magnetic field.

6. The component of claim 3 , wherein at least one B 0 coil is patterned using a different geometry than at least one other B 0 coil.

7. The component of claim 3 , wherein each of the at least one B 0 coils comprises a plurality of turns of a conductor.

8. The component of claim 7 , wherein at least one B 0 coil, when operated, conducts current in a direction opposite to at least one other B 0 coil.

9. The component of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of laminate layers has a plurality of B 0 coils formed thereon.

10. The component of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B 0 coils, when operated, conducts current in a direction opposite to at least one other of the plurality of B 0 coils patterned on a respective layer of the plurality of laminate layers.

11. The component of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of turns of the conductor of at least one B 0 coil are patterned in a circular geometry.

12. The component of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of turns of the conductor of at least one B 0 coil is patterned in a spiral geometry.

13. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one laminate layer has patterned thereon at least one gradient coil configured to, when operated, generate or contribute to a magnetic field to provide spatial encoding of emitted magnetic resonance (MR) signals.

14. The component of claim 13 , wherein the at least one gradient coil comprises at least one x-gradient coil, at least one y-gradient coil, and at least one z-gradient coil to provide spatial encoding in x, y, and z directions, respectively.

15. The component of claim 14 , wherein:
the x-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel;
the y-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel; and
the z-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel.

16. The component of claim 13 , wherein at least one gradient coil is patterned, at least in part, on at least one laminate layer on which at least one B 0 coil is patterned.

17. The component of claim 13 , wherein at least one gradient coil is patterned, at least in part, on a laminate layer on which no B 0 coil is patterned.

18. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one laminate layer has patterned thereon one or more shim coils configured to, when operated, contribute to the static B 0 magnetic field to affect the homogeneity of the static B 0 magnetic field.

19. The component of claim 18 , wherein at least one B 0 coil provides at least one shim coil that can be operated independently of at least one other B 0 coil.

20. The component of claim 1 , where at least one laminate layer comprises electromagnetic shielding formed thereon.

21. The component of claim 20 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding comprises a conductive mesh formed on at least one laminate layer.

22. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises copper.

23. The component of claim 22 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises heavy copper.

24. The component of claim 22 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises extreme copper.

25. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises aluminum.

26. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminate panel comprises a first laminate panel and a second laminate panel arranged in a bi-planar arrangement.

27. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.2 T and greater than or equal to approximately 0.1 T.

28. The component of claim 27 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.1 T and greater than or equal to approximately 0.05 T.

29. The component of claim 28 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.05 T and greater than or equal to approximately 20 mT.

30. The component of claim 29 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately mT and greater than or equal to approximately 10 mT.

31. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of approximately 20 mT or less.

32. The component of claim 31 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of approximately 10 mT or less.

33. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately mT and greater than or equal to approximately 5 mT.

34. The component of claim 26 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 8″×8″ or more.

35. The component of claim 34 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 16″×16″ or more.

36. The component of claim 35 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 22″×22″ or more.

37. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is configured to produce, when operated, the static B 0 magnetic field having a field strength of greater than or equal to approximately 5 mT.

38. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is formed on at least five separate laminate layers of the at least one laminate panel.

39. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is formed on at least ten separate laminate layers of the at least one laminate panel.

40. The compo

Assignees

• Hyperfine Res Inc

Inventors

• Rothberg Jonathan M
• Rosen Matthew Scot
• Charvat Gregory L
• Mileski William J
• Rearick Todd
• Poole Michael Stephen
• Fife Keith G

Classifications

• G01R33/543

  Control of the operation of the MR system, e.g. setting of acquisition parameters prior to or during MR data acquisition, dynamic shimming, use of one or more scout images for scan plane prescription (G01R33/546 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R33/3804 Primary

  Additional hardware for cooling or heating of the magnet assembly, for housing a cooled or heated part of the magnet assembly or for temperature control of the magnet assembly · CPC title

• G01R33/546

  Interface between the MR system and the user, e.g. for controlling the operation of the MR system or for the design of pulse sequences · CPC title

• H01F7/06

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• G01R33/58

  Calibration of imaging systems, e.g. using test probes {, Phantoms; Calibration objects or fiducial markers such as active or passive RF coils surrounding an MR active material} · CPC title