Low-cost, snap-in whole-body RF coil with mechanically switchable resonant frequencies
US5990681A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 15, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 15, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/34007
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A snap-in, whole-body radio frequency coil (38) for increasing the diameter of a bore (12) of a toroidal magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of longitudinally extending coil elements (42) having element ends (44). The longitudinally extending coil elements are disposed on a flat, flexible, non-conductive plastic sheet (40) which is capable of being rolled and disposed concentricly in an interior diameter of the bore to form a thin-walled, bird-cage type radio frequency coil. Adjacent element ends are connected with a first capacitance C.sub.0 to resonate the coil at a certain frequency. To permit mechanically switching the resonant frequency of the coil, protruding metal contacts (60) are electrically connected to the element ends. An adjustment end ring includes separated metal pads (66) disposed on a non-conducting ring substrate (64). Adjacent metal pads are connected with second capacitances C.sub.1. The diameter of the adjustment end ring is preselected to permit resilient contact with the metal contacts. The adjustment end ring is rotatable to bring the metal pads and thus second capacitances C.sub.1 in electrical contact with the element ends which incr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.