Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy using microstrip transmission line coils

Abstract

Apparatus and method for MRI imaging using a coil constructed of microstrip transmission line (MTL coil) are disclosed. In one method, a target is positioned to be imaged within the field of a main magnetic field of a magnet resonance imaging (MRI) system, a MTL coil is positioned proximate the target, and a MRI image is obtained using the main magnet and the MTL coil. In another embodiment, the MRI coil is used for spectroscopy. MRI imaging and spectroscopy coils are formed using microstrip transmission line. These MTL coils have the advantageous property of good performance while occupying a relatively small space, thus allowing MTL coils to be used inside restricted areas more easily than some other prior art coils. In addition, the MTL coils are relatively simple to construct of inexpensive components and thus relatively inexpensive compared to other designs. Further, the MTL coils of the present invention can be readily formed in a wide variety of coil configurations, and used in a wide variety of ways. Further, while the MTL coils of the present invention work well at high field strengths and frequencies, they also work at low frequencies and in low field strengths as well.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 974,184, filed Oct. 9, 2001, which is a continuation of provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 239,185, filed, Oct. 9, 2000, and entitled “Microstrip Resonator RF Surface and Volume Coils and Methods for NMR Imaging and Spectroscopy at High Fields.” The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. No. 60 / 239,185 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.GOVERNMENT RIGHTS [0002] This invention was partially supported by NIH grants NS38070 (W.C.), NS39043 (W.C.), P41 RR08079 (a National Research Resource grant from NIH), Keck Foundation, National Foundation for Functional Brain Imaging and the US Department of Energy. The Government may have certain rights in the invention.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention pertains generally to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and more specifically to surface and volume coils for MRI imaging and spectrosc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] According to certain example embodiments of the invention there are provided a MRI coil formed of microstrip transmission line. According to various embodiments of the invention, MRI coils according the present invention are easy to manufacture with relatively low cost components, and compact in design. In addition, the coil's distributed element design provides for operation at relatively high quality factors and frequencies and in high field (4 Tesla or more) environments. Further, microstrip coils according to the present invention exhibit relatively low radiation losses and require no RF shielding. As a result of not requiring RF shielding, the coils may be of compact size while having high operating frequencies for high field MR studies, thus saving space in the MRI machine. Further, the methods and apparatus of the present invention are not just good for high frequency MR studies, but also good for low frequency cases.

Problems solved by technology

Further, the operating volume inside the main magnet of many MRI systems is relatively small, often just large enough for a patient's head or body.

As a result, there is typically little space available for a coil in addition to the patient.

In high fields (3 Tesla and beyond), due to the high Larmour frequencies required, radiation losses of RF coils become significant which decreases a coil's quality factor or Q factor, and a low Q factor can result in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in MRI procedures.

The RF shielding, however, usually makes the physical size of RF coil much larger, which as noted above is not desired in the MR studies, especially in the case of high field operations.

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