Method and apparatus for local specific absorption rate reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989603-B2
Application number	US-201414468937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

The embodiments relate to a method, an MRI device, and a circuit for a magnetic resonance imaging device that includes at least one transmission coil for transmitting a magnetic field. The circuit includes a hybrid coupler and at least one phase shifter arranged in the transmission path between an amplifier and at least one transmission coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit for a magnetic resonance imaging device having at least one transmission coil for transmitting a magnetic field, the circuit comprising:
at least two hybrid couplers in a transmission path between an amplifier and the at least one transmission coil; and
at least two phase shifters configured to be arranged in the transmission path between the amplifier and the at least one transmission coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device,
wherein the circuit is configured to emulate adjustment options of a two-channel system.

2. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two phase shifters are configured to shift phases of signals that leave the phase shifters with respect to one another, shift the phases of the signals that leave the at least two phase shifters with respect to phases of input signals of the at least two phase shifters, or a combination thereof.

3. The circuit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to convert first signals for generating B1-fields into second signals for generating B1-fields comprising a circularly polarized form, elliptically polarized form, linearly polarized form, or a combination thereof.

4. The circuit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to convert first signals for generating B 1 -fields into second signals for generating B1-fields wherein the phase of the elliptical polarization, linear polarization, or the elliptical polarization and the linear polarization is rotated compared to the B 1 -fields produced by the first signals.

5. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit is configured to convert first signals for generating B 1 -fields into second signals for generating B1-fields comprising a circularly polarized form, elliptically polarized form, linearly polarized form, or a combination thereof.

6. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit is configured to convert first signals for generating B 1 -fields into second signals for generating B 1 -fields wherein the phase of the elliptical polarization, linear polarization, or the elliptical polarization and the linear polarization is rotated compared to the B 1 -fields produced by the first signals.

7. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a hybrid coupler of the at least two hybrid couplers is a hybrid coupler of the circuit, a hybrid coupler connected to the circuit, or the hybrid coupler of the circuit and the hybrid coupler connected to the circuit,
wherein the hybrid coupler of the at least two hybrid couplers is a 90° hybrid, pi/2 hybrid, or the 90° hybrid and the pi/2 hybrid.

8. The circuit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the circuit is configured to generate a circular polarization of a B 1 -field.

9. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two hybrid couplers have a same power division, different phases, or the same power division and the different phases,
wherein the at least two hybrid couplers are at least one hybrid coupler of the circuit, at least one hybrid coupler connected upstream of the circuit, or the hybrid coupler of the circuit and the hybrid coupler connected upstream of the circuit.

10. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein signal phases are configured to be adjusted by the at least two phase shifters from a calculation of desired parameters of a desired polarization ellipse.

11. The circuit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the signal phases are configured to be adjusted by virtue of an amplitude ratio of the signals for at least two sub-antennas of the magnetic resonance imaging device initially being adjusted with a first phase shifter of the at least two phase shifters, followed by a phase shift therebetween using a second phase shifter of the at least two phase shifters.

12. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second hybrid coupler arranged in the transmission path.

13. The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one transmission coil is a single body coil, a single local coil, or the single body coil and the single local coil.

14. A magnetic resonance imaging device comprising:
at least one transmission coil;
an amplifier;
a first hybrid coupler arranged in a transmission path between the amplifier and the at least one transmission coil; and
a circuit comprising:
at least one second hybrid coupler; and
at least one phase shifter,

wherein the circuit is arranged in the transmission path between the first hybrid coupler and the at least one transmission coil, and
wherein the circuit is configured to emulate adjustment options of a two-channel system.

15. The magnetic resonance imaging device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the transmission coil, a pulse sequence control unit, or the transmission coil and the pulse sequence control unit are configured to generate a circularly polarized magnetic field.

16. A method for actuating a magnetic resonance imaging device, the method comprising:
providing a circuit of the magnetic resonance imaging device, the circuit comprising at least two hybrid couplers and at least one phase shifter configured to be arranged in a transmission path between an amplifier and at least one transmission coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
receiving, via the circuit, first signals for generating B 1 -fields;
actuating the at least one phase shifter;
converting, via the at least one actuated phase shifter of the circuit, the first signals for generating B 1 -fields into second signals for generating B 1 -fields comprising a circularly polarized form, elliptically polarized form, linearly polarized form, or a combination thereof;
providing the second signals for generating B 1 -fields to the at least one transmission coil; and
generating, by the at least one transmission coil, B 1 -fields based on the second signals for generating B 1 -fields,
wherein the circuit is configured to emulate adjustment options of a two-channel system.

Assignees

• Renz Wolfgang
• Vester Markus
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Renz Wolfgang
• Vester Markus

Classifications

• G01R33/3678

  involving quadrature drive or detection, e.g. a circularly polarized RF magnetic field · CPC title

• G01R33/3607 Primary

  RF waveform generators, e.g. frequency generators, amplitude-, frequency- or phase modulators or shifters, pulse programmers, digital to analog converters for the RF signal, means for filtering or attenuating of the RF signal · CPC title

• G01R33/288

  Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room · CPC title

• G01R33/3635

  Multi-frequency operation · CPC title

• G01R33/36 Primary

  Electrical details, e.g. matching or coupling of the coil to the receiver · CPC title