Radio frequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging system and magnetic resonance imaging system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system and the magnetic resonance imaging system, the radio frequency coil comprises an electrical layer, a first mechanical layer and a second mechanical layer, and the electrical layer is arranged between the first mechanical layer and the second mechanical layer; wherein a plurality of grooves are formed in the surface of the first mechanical layer, each groove is provided with a first inclined plane and a second inclined plane, the first inclined planes and the second inclined planes form openings facing the direction opposite to the connection direction of the first mechanical layer and the electrical layer, and the openings have a first included angle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of medical equipment, in particular to a radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system and the magnetic resonance imaging system. BACKGROUND

[0002] The magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system has been widely applied in the medical diagnosis field, and the existing magnetic resonance imaging system usually has a main magnet, a gradient amplifier, a gradient coil, a transmission chain module, a radio frequency coil, a receiving chain module and the like, wherein the transmission chain module generates a pulse signal transmitted to the transmission / receiving coil, the radio frequency coil generates a radio frequency excitation signal to excite a scanning object to generate a magnetic resonance signal, after the excitation is finished, the radio frequency coil receives the magnetic resonance signal, and a medical parameter image is reconstructed according to the magnetic resonance signal.

[0003] At present, the radio frequency coil includes a transmission / receiving coil or a receiving coil, for example, a body coil of a cavity type located in the gradient coil, and a local coil for covering a certain part of a patient, such as a knee coil, a shoulder coil, a spine coil, a wrist coil and a head and neck coil. CONTENT

[0004] The embodiment of the present application provides a radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system which can be closed from a rectangular sheet structure to a birdcage structure and the magnetic resonance imaging system.

[0005] According to the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application, a radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided, the radio frequency coil comprising: an electrical layer, a first mechanical layer and a second mechanical layer, the electrical layer being arranged between the first mechanical layer and the second mechanical layer;

[0006] The first mechanical layer is provided with a plurality of grooves on the surface, the grooves have a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface form an opening in a direction opposite to the connection direction between the first mechanical layer and the electrical layer, and the opening has a first included angle.

[0007] According to the second aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the cross section of the opening is V-shaped or trapezoidal, and the first included angle is between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

[0008] According to the third aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the radio frequency coil can be unfolded to a rectangular sheet structure, or the radio frequency coil can be closed to a birdcage structure.

[0009] According to the fourth aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the radio frequency coil further has:

[0010] The electrical connection part has a first connection part and a second connection part, wherein the first connection part is arranged on one side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure on the first mechanical layer, and the second connection part is arranged on the other side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure on the second mechanical layer; the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet-shaped structure to the closed birdcage-shaped structure by connecting and fixing the first connection part and the second connection part.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the first connection part and the second connection part are electrically connected with the electrical layer; the first connection part and the second connection part are made of conductive material.

[0012] According to a sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the first connection part has a first main body part and a first fixing part, the first main body part is fixed to the second mechanical layer and clamps the electrical layer with the conductive gasket; the first fixing part extends from the first main body part to one side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet-shaped structure, and at least one electrical contact is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the first fixing part;

[0013] The second connection part has a second main body part and a second fixing part, the second main body part is fixed to the second mechanical layer and clamps the electrical layer with the conductive gasket, the second fixing part extends from the second main body part to the other side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet-shaped structure, and the second fixing part has a groove capable of accommodating the first fixing part, and at least one electrical contact is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the groove;

[0014] When the first fixing part is buckled in the second fixing part, the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet-shaped structure to the closed birdcage-shaped structure.

[0015] According to a seventh aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the radio frequency coil further has:

[0016] The mechanical connection part has a third connection part and a fourth connection part, wherein the third connection part is arranged on one side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure on the first mechanical layer, and the fourth connection part is arranged on the other side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure on the second mechanical layer; the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet-shaped structure to the closed birdcage-shaped structure by connecting and fixing the third connection part and the fourth connection part.

[0017] According to an eighth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the third connection part has a third main body part and a third fixing part, wherein the third main body part has a through hole penetrating through the rectangular sheet-shaped structure, and the third fixing part extends from the side of the through hole away from the fourth connection part to one side of the rectangular sheet-shaped structure in a direction with a second included angle with the rectangular sheet-shaped structure.

[0018] The fourth connecting part has a fourth main part and a fourth fixed part, the fourth main part is fixed to the second mechanical layer, and the fourth fixed part extends from the fourth main part to the other side of the rectangular sheet structure in a direction with a second included angle with the rectangular sheet structure;

[0019] When the third fixed part and the fourth fixed part are connected and fixed in a clamping manner, the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure.

[0020] According to a ninth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the second included angle ranges from 0 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0021] According to a tenth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided, which includes the radio frequency coil according to any one of the first aspect to the ninth aspect of the embodiments of the present application.

[0022] With reference to the following description and drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, which indicate the ways in which the principles of the present application can be adopted. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited in scope in this way. The embodiments of the present application include many changes, modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present application, constitute a part of the specification and serve to explain the principles of the present application together with the text. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other embodiments can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor on the basis of these drawings. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging system of the embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a radio frequency coil of the embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a first mechanical layer surface structure of the radio frequency coil of the embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of the first mechanical layer surface structure as shown in Figure 3 ;

[0028] Figure 4B is another cross-sectional view of the first mechanical layer surface structure as shown in Figure 3 ;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a radio frequency coil in an open state according to an embodiment of the application;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a radio frequency coil in a closed state according to an embodiment of the application;

[0031] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a first connection and a second connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a first connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0033] Figure 9 is a further schematic diagram of a first connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0034] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a second connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0035] Figure 11 is a further schematic diagram of a second connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0036] Figure 12 is a further schematic diagram of a radio frequency coil in a closed state according to an embodiment of the application;

[0037] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a radio frequency coil in a closed state according to an embodiment of the application;

[0038] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a third connection and a fourth connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0039] Figure 15 is a further schematic diagram of a third connection and a fourth connection according to an embodiment of the application;

[0040] Figure 16 is a further schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging system according to an embodiment of the application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The foregoing and other features of the present application will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of specific embodiments of the application, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the description of embodiments of the application, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the application is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments described, but rather, is intended to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0042] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second" and the like are used to distinguish different elements, but do not indicate the spatial arrangement or the time sequence of these elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. The term "and / or" includes any one and all combinations of the associated listed terms. The terms "comprise", "include", "have" and the like mean the presence of the stated feature, element, component or assembly, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components or assemblies.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the singular form "a", "an" and the like includes the plural form, should be understood broadly as "one" or "a kind of", and not limited to the meaning of "one"; in addition, the term "said" should be understood as including both the singular form and the plural form, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the term "according to" should be understood as "at least partially according to", and the term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0044] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one implementation can be used in one or more other implementations in the same or similar manner, in combination with or in place of features in other implementations. The term "comprise / comprising" when used herein is meant "including, but not limited to", and it is specifically intended that the features, integers, steps or components that comprise a part of the compositions or methods of the present application can consist of any of the features, integers, steps or components disclosed herein, although the compositions, methods, or components can include more than one of each such feature, integer, step or component.

[0045] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging modality that can create images of the interior of the human body without the use of x-rays or other ionizing radiation. An MRI system includes a superconducting magnet to produce a strong, uniform static magnetic field B0. When a human body or a portion of a human body is placed in the magnetic field, the nuclear spins associated with the hydrogen nuclei in the tissue water become polarized, with the magnetic moments associated with these spins preferentially aligning along the direction of the magnetic field, resulting in a small net tissue magnetization along that axis. The MRI system also includes gradient coils that produce smaller amplitude, spatially varying magnetic fields with orthogonal axes to spatially encode the magnetic resonance (MR) signals by producing a characteristic resonance frequency at each location in the body. The hydrogen nuclei are excited by a radio frequency signal at or near the resonance frequency of the hydrogen nuclei, which adds energy to the nuclear spin system. As the nuclear spins relax back to their resting energy state, they release the absorbed energy in the form of a radio frequency signal. This radio frequency signal (or MR signal) is detected by one or more radio frequency coils and converted to an image using a reconstruction algorithm.

[0046] To facilitate understanding, Figure 1 A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system 100 is shown that illustrates some embodiments of the present application.

[0047] The MRI system 100 includes a scan unit 111. The scan unit 111 is used to perform magnetic resonance scans on a subject (e.g., a human body) 170 to generate image data of a region of interest of the subject 170, which can be a pre-determined anatomical site or anatomical tissue.

[0048] Operation of the MRI system 100 is controlled by an operator workstation 110, which includes an input device 114, a control panel 116, and a display 118. The input device 114 can be a joystick, keyboard, mouse, trackball, touch activated screen, voice control, or any similar or equivalent input device. The control panel 116 can include a keyboard, touch activated screen, voice control, buttons, sliders, or any similar or equivalent control devices. The operator workstation 110 is coupled to and in communication with a computer system 120, which enables the operator to control the generation and viewing of images on the display 118. The computer system 120 includes a plurality of components that communicate with one another via an electrical and / or data connection module 122. The connection module 122 can be a direct wired connection, a fiber optic connection, a wireless communication link, or the like. The computer system 120 can include a central processing unit (CPU) 124, a memory 126, and an image processor 128. In some embodiments, the image processor 128 can be replaced by image processing functionality implemented in the CPU 124. The computer system 120 can be connected to an archival media device, a permanent or backup memory, or a network. The computer system 120 can be coupled to and in communication with a separate MRI system controller 130.

[0049] The MRI system controller 130 includes a set of components that communicate with one another via an electrical and / or data connection module 132. The connection module 132 can be a direct wired connection, a fiber optic connection, a wireless communication link, or the like. The MRI system controller 130 can include a CPU 131, a sequence pulse generator 133 that communicates with the operator workstation 110, a transceiver (or RF transceiver) 135, a memory 137, and an array processor 139. In some embodiments, the sequence pulse generator 133 can be integrated into a resonance assembly 140 of the scan unit 111 of the MRI system 100. The MRI system controller 130 can receive commands from the operator workstation 110, coupled to the scan unit 111, to instruct the MRI scan sequence to be performed during an MRI scan for controlling the scan unit 111 to perform the flow of the magnetic resonance scan described above. The MRI system controller 130 is also coupled to and in communication with a gradient driver system 150, which is coupled to a gradient coil assembly 142 to produce magnetic field gradients during the MRI scan.

[0050] The sequence pulse generator 133 can also receive data from a physiological acquisition controller 155 that receives signals from a number of different sensors (such as electrocardiograph (ECG) signals from electrodes attached to a patient) connected to the subject or patient 170 undergoing MRI scanning. The sequence pulse generator 133 is coupled to and in communication with a scan room interface system 145 that receives signals from various sensors associated with the state of the resonant assembly 140. The scan room interface system 145 is also coupled to and in communication with a patient position system 147 that sends and receives signals to control movement of the patient table into the desired position for MRI scanning.

[0051] The MRI system controller 130 provides gradient waveforms to a gradient driver system 150 that includes G x (x direction), G y (y direction), and G z (z direction) amplifiers, among others. Each of the G x , G y , and G z gradient amplifiers excite corresponding gradient coils in a gradient coil assembly 142 to produce magnetic field gradients used for spatial encoding of the MR signals during MRI scanning. The gradient coil assembly 142 is disposed within a resonant assembly 140 that also includes a superconducting magnet with superconducting coils 144 that, in operation, provide a static, uniform, longitudinal magnetic field B0that runs through a cylindrical imaging volume 146. The resonant assembly 140 also includes an RF body coil 148 that, in operation, provides a transverse magnetic field Bi that is approximately perpendicular to B0throughout the cylindrical imaging volume 146. The RF body coil 148 can also be referred to below as a transceive coil, i.e., a transmit and receive coil integrated together that can both transmit radio frequency pulses and receive radio frequency pulses, but not simultaneously receive and transmit. That is, the RF body coil 148 can be configured by a transmit / receive switch (T / R switch) 164 to operate in transmit and receive modes, transmit mode, or receive mode.

[0052] The x direction can also be referred to as the frequency encoding direction or the kx direction in K-space, and the y direction can be referred to as the phase encoding direction or the ky direction in K-space. The G x can be used for frequency encoding or signal readout, often referred to as a frequency encoding gradient or a readout gradient. The G y can be used for phase encoding, often referred to as a phase encoding gradient. The G z can be used for slice (layer) position selection to obtain K-space data. It should be noted that the slice selection direction, the phase encoding direction, and the frequency encoding direction can be modified as desired.

[0053] A subject or patient 170 for MRI scanning can be positioned within the cylindrical imaging volume 146 of the resonant assembly 140. The transceiver 135 in the MRI system controller 130 generates RF excitation pulses that are amplified by the RF amplifier 162 and provided to the RF body coil 148 through a transmit / receive switch (T / R switch) 164.

[0054] As mentioned above, the RF body coil 148 can be used to transmit RF excitation pulses and / or receive resulting MR signals from a patient undergoing MRI scanning. MR signals emitted by nuclei excited within the patient undergoing MRI scanning can be sensed and received by the RF body coil 148 and transmitted back through the T / R switch 164 to the preamplifier 166. The T / R switch 164 can be controlled by a signal from the sequence pulse generator 133 to electrically connect the RF amplifier 162 to the RF body coil 148 during transmit mode and to connect the preamplifier 166 to the RF body coil 148 during receive mode.

[0055] The MRI system controller 130, image processor 128 can respectively or commonly include a computer processor and a storage medium on which a program of predetermined data processing to be executed by the computer processor is recorded, for example, a program for implementing a scan process (e.g., a scan protocol, an imaging sequence), image reconstruction, image processing, etc. can be stored on the storage medium, for example, a program for implementing the magnetic resonance imaging method of the embodiments of the present application can be stored. The storage medium can include, for example, a ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, or a non-volatile memory card.

[0056] As mentioned previously, the RF body coil 148 in a magnetic resonance imaging system can be used to transmit / receive radio frequency signals, but during actual scanning, additional magnetic resonance dedicated local coils (e.g., as receiving coils, or arranged in the body coil and as transmitting coils by wireless coupling with the body coil) are used to scan specific parts, for example, knee coils, shoulder coils, spine coils, wrist coils, and head and neck coils, etc. The local coils are usually positioned close to the patient and provide higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) therefrom.

[0057] At present, the common local coil adopts a coil array structure composed of a plurality of coil elements, and each local coil needs to be equipped with a corresponding cable and receiving channel for magnetic resonance signal transmission. The local coil has a cable interface for connecting one end of the cable, and the other end of the cable is connected with a cable interface arranged on the examination bed. The magnetic resonance signals received from the local coil are transmitted to the receiving chain module of the local coil through the cable, and after being amplified by the radio frequency preamplifier, demodulated, filtered, analog-to-digital converted, preprocessed, and Fourier transformed, etc., finally the magnetic resonance image is reconstructed.

[0058] The inventor finds that the existing wired radio frequency coils have great limitations in use. For example, due to the large volume of the limb coil, the use is inconvenient. In addition, the shape of some coils is special, so they need to be used in cooperation with a special locator. Some coils (such as flexible coils) do not have a fixed point, so they can only be fixed by using a bandage.

[0059] To solve at least one of the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a magnetic resonance imaging system and a radio frequency coil thereof. The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below.

[0060] The embodiments of the present application provide a radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system, which does not need an external cable, is flexible to use, and has low cost. The mechanical structure of the radio frequency coil is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0061] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the radio frequency coil of the embodiments of the present application. As shown in Figure 2 , the radio frequency coil 200 includes a three-layer structure, i.e., a first mechanical layer 210, an electrical layer 220, and a second mechanical layer 230. In some embodiments, the first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230 are fixedly connected with the electrical layer 220 by means of lamination molding through heating or pressurization.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present application, the electrical layer 220 is set as a flexible circuit, and the electrical layer 220 is wrapped between the first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230. The first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230 can be made of flexible insulation (also clean, waterproof, flame retardant, lightweight, but not limited to) materials, such as one or more of elastomer materials, polyester materials, cotton, wool, foam, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0063] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the surface structure of the first mechanical layer 210 of the radio frequency coil of the embodiments of the present application, Figure 4A and Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the surface structure of the first mechanical layer 210 as shown in Figure 3 , as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4A , Figure 4B , the surface of the first mechanical layer 210 is provided with a plurality of grooves 211, the groove 211 has a first inclined surface 2111 and a second inclined surface 2112, and the first inclined surface 2111 and the second inclined surface 2112 form an opening H in a direction opposite to the connection direction of the first mechanical layer 210 and the electrical layer 220, the opening H has a first included angle a.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the cross section of the groove 211 is V-shaped or trapezoidal, the first included angle a is between 10 degrees and 50 degrees, for example, 22.5 degrees. The following is described by taking the V-shaped opening and 22.5 degrees (corresponding to 16 channels) as an example, and the application is not limited thereto.

[0065] By setting the first included angle a, the radio frequency coil 200 can be unfolded into a rectangular sheet structure, or the radio frequency coil 200 can be closed into a birdcage structure (cylindrical tube shape). That is, the radio frequency coil 200 includes a closed state and an open state, in the closed state, the radio frequency coil is in a birdcage structure, the first mechanical layer 210 can also be referred to as the inner layer of the radio frequency coil, the second mechanical layer 230 can also be referred to as the outer layer of the radio frequency coil, the surfaces of the first mechanical layer 210 and the electrical layer 220 connected in opposite directions form the inner surface of the inner layer of the birdcage structure, and the surfaces of the second mechanical layer 230 and the electrical layer 220 connected in opposite directions form the outer surface of the outer layer of the birdcage structure.

[0066] Specifically, as shown in Figure 4A and Figure 4B , when the radio frequency coil 200 is unfolded into a rectangular sheet structure, the V-shaped opening of the inner surface of the first mechanical layer 210 is in a state of Figure 4A , and when the radio frequency coil 200 is closed into a birdcage structure, the V-shaped opening of the inner surface of the first mechanical layer 210 is in a state of Figure 4B . That is, compared with the inner surface of the conventional radio frequency coil without the opening, by setting the first included angle a, the inner surface of the first mechanical layer 210 of the radio frequency coil 200 has better bending performance, and when the radio frequency coil 200 is closed into a birdcage structure, the first inclined surface 2111 and the second inclined surface 2112 will contact each other, thereby providing support and ensuring the roundness of the birdcage structure, thereby making the radio frequency coil 200 have better applicability.

[0067] In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 4A , due to the limitation of the thermoforming process, the V-shaped opening H is not a perfect V shape, the bottom has a flat surface with a width of x1, and the thickness distance h between the flat surface and the bottom of the first mechanical layer 210. The thickness ensures that the first mechanical layer 210 is not easily broken during repeated bending and unfolding, and when the V-shaped opening is set, it can be set at a relatively soft position of the radio frequency coil 200, that is, to avoid the welding points of the electrical layer 220, thereby avoiding damage to the welding points in the electrical layer 220 of the radio frequency coil 200 due to stress.

[0068] In addition, as shown in Figure 2As shown, since the coil has 16 channels, in the above embodiment, 16 V-shaped openings H corresponding to the 16 channels are provided, and the first included angle a of each V-shaped opening is, for example, 22.5 degrees, but the present application is not limited thereto, for example, for a 32-channel radio frequency coil, 32 corresponding V-shaped openings with a first included angle of 11.25 degrees can be provided, and for an 8-channel radio frequency coil, 8 corresponding V-shaped openings with a first included angle of 45 degrees can be provided, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the extension direction of at least one V-shaped opening H is parallel to the extension direction of the coil channel, and the length of the at least one V-shaped opening H is substantially the same as the width of the first mechanical layer 210, or the at least one V-shaped opening H penetrates the first mechanical layer 210 in the width direction.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230 are flat. However, in order to meet the ergonomic design, the first mechanical layer 210 (the inner layer in contact with the object to be detected) of the radio frequency coil 200 can also be designed to conform to the shape of the part to be imaged as much as possible to meet the comfort requirements of the object to be detected and further improve the signal-to-noise ratio, for example, when the radio frequency coil is a knee coil, an arc-shaped protrusion can be provided on the inner surface to provide support for the physiological curvature of the knee joint, and when scanning, the back of the knee can be placed on the arc-shaped protrusion, and the two sides of the rectangular sheet structure are bent to connect the connection parts, thereby improving the convenience of the operator, but the present application is not limited thereto, for example, the two sides of the rectangular sheet structure can be bent to connect the connection parts first, and then the radio frequency coil is sleeved on the part to be imaged.

[0071] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the radio frequency coil 200 in the open state of the present application embodiment, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the radio frequency coil 200 in the closed state of the present application embodiment. As Figure 5 shown, in the open state, the radio frequency coil 200 is unfolded into a rectangular sheet structure. When the object to be detected needs to be scanned, the radio frequency coil 200 is opened, the part to be imaged of the object to be detected is placed on the rectangular sheet structure of the radio frequency coil, and then the radio frequency coil is closed into a birdcage structure as Figure 6 shown, so as to wrap the object to be detected and enter the center of the scanning cavity together with the object to be detected.

[0072] Through the inner surface structure of the radio frequency coil 200 provided by the present application, the radio frequency coil 200 is formed into a flexible and deformable coil, which improves the comfort of the object to be detected and improves the convenience of wearing the radio frequency coil.

[0073] In some embodiments, one side of the rectangular sheet structure on the first mechanical layer 210 is provided with a first connecting part 240, and the other side of the rectangular sheet structure on the second mechanical layer 230 is provided with a second connecting part 250. The radio frequency coil 200 is changed from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure by connecting and fixing the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 or by matching each other. Thus, it is convenient for the object to be detected to wear the radio frequency coil.

[0074] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 are respectively arranged on the two edges of the rectangular sheet structure which are parallel to the length direction of the V-shaped opening H. The first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 on the two edges of the rectangular sheet structure are connected and fixed by bending the rectangular sheet structure to become the birdcage structure. Figure 5

[0075] In some embodiments, since electrical connection is needed when the radio frequency coil 200 is closed to the birdcage structure, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 can be arranged to be electrically connected with the electrical layer 220. That is, when the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 are arranged on the first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 need to penetrate the first mechanical layer 210 and the second mechanical layer 230 to be in electrical communication with the electrical layer 220. In the above-mentioned embodiments, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 are made of conductive material to realize electrical connection.

[0076] In some embodiments, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 can be respectively a male buckle and a female buckle of a metal buckle, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 of the embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 3, the radio frequency coil is changed to the closed state by the fixed connection of the metal buckle. Figure 7

[0077] Figure 8 and Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the first connecting part 240 of the embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4, Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 the first connecting part 240 has a first main part 241 and a first fixing part 242. The first main part 241 is fixed to the second mechanical layer 230 and clamps the electrical layer 220 with the conductive gasket 243, so that the first connecting part 240 is electrically connected with the electrical layer 220; the first fixing part 242 extends from the first main part 241 to one side of the rectangular sheet structure in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet structure, forming a cylindrical structure, and at least one electrical contact 244 is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the first fixing part 242.

[0078] ​​Figure 10 and Figure 11 is a schematic view of a second connecting part 250 of an embodiment of the present application; as shown in Figure 7 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the second connecting part 250 has a second main part 251 and a second fixing part 252, the second main part 251 is fixed to the second mechanical layer 230 and clamps the electric layer 220 with the conductive gasket 253, thereby being electrically connected with the electric layer 220, the second fixing part 252 extends from the second main part 251 in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet structure to the other side of the rectangular sheet structure, and the second fixing part 252 has a recess A capable of accommodating the first fixing part 242, and at least one electrical contact 254 is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the recess A.

[0079] When the first fixing part 242 is buckled in the second fixing part 252, the radio frequency coil 200 changes from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 can be a male buckle and a female buckle of a metal snap, respectively. The positions of the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 can be interchanged, for example, the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 can be a female buckle and a male buckle of a metal snap, respectively, and the present application does not limit this.

[0081] Thus, while achieving electrical connection, the radio frequency coil 200 is also more stable in the closed state. In addition, as shown in Figure 7 , when the first connecting part 240 and the second connecting part 250 are connected and fixed, they can be completely hidden under the outer surface of the outer layer of the birdcage structure, making the mechanical design more beautiful, simple, and safe. Through the above electrical connection structure, not only the reliability of the electrical connection of the radio frequency coil 200 is improved, but also the convenience of the operator is improved.

[0082] In some embodiments, in order to further ensure the closure degree of the radio frequency coil 200, a mechanical connection structure is further arranged on the radio frequency coil 200, Figure 12 is another schematic view of the radio frequency coil in the closed state of an embodiment of the present application; Figure 13 is a sectional view of the radio frequency coil in the closed state of an embodiment of the present application.

[0083] As shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13 , for example, a third connecting part 260 is further arranged on one side of the rectangular sheet structure on the first mechanical layer 210, and a fourth connecting part 270 is further arranged on the other side of the rectangular sheet structure on the second mechanical layer 230, and the third connecting part 260 and the fourth connecting part 270 are connected and fixed to change the radio frequency coil 200 from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure.

[0084] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, a third connecting portion 260 can be provided between the two first connecting portions 240 on one side, and a fourth connecting portion 270 can be provided between the two second connecting portions 250 on the other side. The third connecting portion 260 is provided on the first mechanical layer 210, that is, on the inner surface of the inner layer of the RF coil 200. The fourth connecting portion 270 is provided on the second mechanical layer 230, that is, on the outer surface of the outer layer of the RF coil 200. By bending the rectangular sheet structure into a cylindrical shape, the third connecting portions 260 and the fourth connecting portions 270 on both sides of the rectangular sheet structure are connected and fixed. The third connecting portion 260 and the fourth connecting portion 270 do not need to be electrically connected to the electrical layer 220 and can be made of insulating material.

[0085] Figure 14 and Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the third connecting portion 260 and the fourth connecting portion 270 according to an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the third connecting portion 260 has a third main body portion 261 and a third fixing portion 262. The third main body portion 261 has a through hole G that penetrates the rectangular sheet structure. The third fixing portion 262 extends from the side of the through hole G away from the fourth connecting portion 270 toward one side of the rectangular sheet structure at a second angle β with the rectangular sheet structure.

[0086] The fourth connecting portion 270 has a fourth main body portion 271 and a fourth fixing portion 272. The fourth main body portion 271 is fixed to the second mechanical layer 230, and the fourth fixing portion 272 extends from the fourth main body portion 271 toward the other side of the rectangular sheet structure at a second angle β with the rectangular sheet structure.

[0087] When the third fixing part 262 and the fourth fixing part 272 are connected and fixed in a mutually engaging manner, the radio frequency coil 200 changes from a rectangular sheet structure to a closed birdcage structure.

[0088] With the above structure, the third connecting part 260 and the fourth connecting part 270 are formed as hooks that can be inserted into the surface of the coil. When the radio frequency coil 200 is closed into a birdcage-like structure, the third fixing part 262 and the fourth fixing part 272 can be connected and fixed in a mutually engaging manner.

[0089] In the above embodiments, the third connecting part 260 and the fourth connecting part 270 are made of a material with good elasticity, such as rubber, and the like, and the present application is not limited in this regard. Thus, an operator can manually pull the outer surface of the coil to deform the third connecting part 260 and the fourth connecting part 270 to connect or separate them. In addition, since the third connecting part 260 has the through hole G, the operator can visually check the connection state of the third connecting part 260 and the fourth connecting part 270 in the closed state of the radio frequency coil 200, thereby ensuring the reliability of the fixation.

[0090] In the above embodiments, the second included angle β ranges from 0 to 90 degrees. If β is very large, for example, close to 90 degrees, the mechanical connection structure is easy to disassemble, but the fixation effect is poor. If β is very small, the fixation effect of the mechanical connection is good, but it is difficult to disassemble. Therefore, in order to make the use of the radio frequency coil 200 more convenient, the design of the angle β needs to be adjusted according to the actual size of the radio frequency coil 200, and a balance between convenience and firmness is achieved, and the present application is not limited in this regard.

[0091] Through the above structure, the degree of closure of the radio frequency coil 200 during use is further ensured, thereby improving the convenience and reliability of the coil use.

[0092] According to the radio frequency coil provided by the embodiment of the present application, the inner surface structure is provided with a plurality of openings, which can provide support force when closed, so that the radio frequency coil has better bending property. Moreover, the embodiment of the present application also provides two structures of electrical connection and mechanical connection, which are designed by embedding, thereby ensuring the aesthetic degree of the radio frequency coil in appearance design, and also ensuring the reliability and stability of the electrical connection when the radio frequency coil is closed into a birdcage structure. In addition, the mechanical connection structure can also provide reliable support and insurance for the electrical connection, thereby further improving the convenience of the operator use and improving the experience of the object to be detected.

[0093] The above embodiments are only exemplary for the embodiments of the present application, but the present application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made on the basis of the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0094] The embodiment of the present application provides a magnetic resonance imaging system, which at least includes a radio frequency coil assembly, the radio frequency coil assembly includes the aforementioned transceiving coil and radio frequency coil, and the implementation of the transceiving coil and the radio frequency coil is as described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0095] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the magnetic resonance imaging system of the embodiment of the present application, as Figure 16 shown, andFigure 1 The difference is that the magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises the radio frequency coil 1601 in the aforementioned embodiments, the implementation of which is as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0096] The apparatus and method described above can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware in combination with software. The present application relates to a computer readable program which, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the apparatus or constituent components described above, or to implement the various methods or steps described above. The present application also relates to a storage medium for storing the above program, such as a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a DVD, a flash memory, etc.

[0097] The method / apparatus described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. For example, one or more of the functional block diagrams shown in the figures and / or a combination of one or more of the functional block diagrams can correspond to each software module of the computer program flow, or to each hardware module. The software modules can correspond to each step shown in the figures, respectively. These hardware modules can be implemented by, for example, fixing the software modules using a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0098] The software modules can be located in a RAM memory, a flash memory, a ROM memory, an EPROM memory, an EEPROM memory, a register, a hard disk, a mobile disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium can be coupled to the processor, so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. The software modules can be stored in the memory of the mobile terminal, or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a MEGA-SIM card or a large-capacity flash memory device, the software modules can be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the large-capacity flash memory device.

[0099] One or more of the functional blocks described in the figures can be implemented as a general -purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any appropriate combination of the foregoing, in which case the functions described with respect to the functional blocks can be implemented with either software or hardware, or a combination of the two. One or more of the functional blocks described in the figures can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0100] The application has been described above with the attachment of particular embodiments, and it is clear to those skilled in the art that the description is exemplary and is not a limitation on the scope of the application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the application according to the principles of the application, and these modifications and variations are also within the scope of the application.

Claims

1. A radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system, characterized in that, The radio frequency coil includes: an electrical layer, a first mechanical layer, and a second mechanical layer, wherein the electrical layer is disposed between the first mechanical layer and the second mechanical layer; The first mechanical layer has a plurality of grooves on its surface. Each groove has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface form an opening facing in a direction opposite to the connection direction between the first mechanical layer and the electrical layer, and the opening has a first included angle.

2. The radio frequency coil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening has a V-shaped or trapezoidal cross-section, and the first included angle is between 10 degrees and 50 degrees.

3. The radio frequency coil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radio frequency coil can be unfolded into a rectangular sheet structure, or the radio frequency coil can be closed into a birdcage-like structure.

4. The radio frequency coil according to claim 3, characterized in that, The radio frequency coil also has: An electrical connection portion having a first connection portion and a second connection portion, wherein the first connection portion is provided on one side of the rectangular sheet structure on the first mechanical layer, and the second connection portion is provided on the other side of the rectangular sheet structure on the second mechanical layer, and the radio frequency coil is transformed from the rectangular sheet structure into a closed birdcage structure by connecting and fixing the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

5. The radio frequency coil according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are electrically connected to the electrical layer; the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are made of conductive material.

6. The radio frequency coil according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first connecting portion has a first main body and a first fixing portion. The first main body is fixed to the second mechanical layer and clamps the electrical layer with a conductive washer. The first fixing portion extends from the first main body toward one side of the rectangular sheet structure in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet structure, and at least one electrical contact is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first fixing portion. The second connecting part has a second main body and a second fixing part. The second main body is fixed to the second mechanical layer and clamps the electrical layer with a conductive washer. The second fixing part extends from the second main body toward the other side of the rectangular sheet structure in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular sheet structure. The second fixing part has a groove that can accommodate the first fixing part. At least one electrical contact is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the groove. When the first fixing part is fastened to the second fixing part, the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure.

7. The radio frequency coil according to claim 3, characterized in that, The radio frequency coil also has: The mechanical connection part has a third connection part and a fourth connection part. The third connection part is provided on one side of the rectangular sheet structure on the first mechanical layer, and the fourth connection part is provided on the other side of the rectangular sheet structure on the second mechanical layer. By connecting and fixing the third connection part and the fourth connection part, the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet structure to a closed birdcage structure.

8. The radio frequency coil according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third connecting part has a third main body and a third fixing part, wherein the third main body has a through hole penetrating the rectangular sheet structure, and the third fixing part extends from the side of the through hole away from the fourth connecting part toward one side of the rectangular sheet structure in a direction forming a second angle with the rectangular sheet structure; The fourth connecting part has a fourth main body and a fourth fixing part. The fourth main body is fixed to the second mechanical layer, and the fourth fixing part extends from the fourth main body toward the other side of the rectangular sheet structure at a second angle to the rectangular sheet structure. When the third fixing part and the fourth fixing part are connected and fixed in a mutually engaging manner, the radio frequency coil changes from the rectangular sheet structure to the closed birdcage structure.

9. The radio frequency coil according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second included angle is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees.

10. A magnetic resonance imaging system, characterized in that, The magnetic resonance imaging system includes the radio frequency coil as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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