Patent · US Expired

Magnets for magnetic resonance systems

US5818319A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
20References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 1995
Grant dateOct 6, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 21, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/421
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Procedures for designing magnets, including superconducting magnets, shim magnets, and gradient magnets for magnetic resonance systems, are provided. The procedures involve the use of a simulated annealing procedure in which weighted spherical harmonics are included in the procedure's error function. The procedure has resulted in the development of previously unknown magnet designs. In particular, superconducting magnets have been designed which include at least one coil in which the current flow is opposite to that in adjoining coils. Such reversed flow in combination with a relatively large number of coils, e.g., more than 6 coils, have enabled the development of short, yet homogeneous, whole body magnets for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.