Magnetic resonance receive coil array with integrated ultrasound transducers.

Abstract

A magnetic resonance (MR) receive coil array for an imaging system is provided, the MR receive coil array comprising a radio frequency (RF) receiver antenna and a digital amplifier signal acquisition unit configured to receive MR signals from the RF receiver antenna and output digitally amplified MR data; an ultrasound transducer capable of being acoustically coupled to an examination subject, the ultrasound signal acquisition unit configured to receive ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer and output digital ultrasound data; and a digital control and merging unit comprising a controller module and a merging module, the controller module including a first control signal for the MR digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit, the merging module configured to receive the digitally amplified MR data and the digital ultrasound data and output the digital MR data and the digital ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit configured to combine the digital MR data and the digital ultrasound data to optimize data acquisition.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of magnetic resonance receiver coil arrays, and more particularly to magnetic receiver coil arrays having an additional integrated ultrasound transducer. [Background technology]

[0002] Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and ultrasound imaging are common medical imaging modalities. The combination of MR imaging and ultrasound imaging can provide multiple enhancements toward improved image quality over each modality taken separately. For example, MR imaging can be used to establish tissue types within the ultrasound probe's field of view, thus providing information to the ultrasound image to calculate local ultrasound velocities in each different tissue type and their subsequent compensation during ultrasound image reconstruction. Similarly, known techniques exist for enhancing MR image acquisition based on ultrasound data. In typical cases, organ and blood motion is established separately from ultrasound, and the motion data is then used in MR image reconstruction to remove motion artifacts and enhance the MR image, but without precise time alignment. Furthermore, in some clinical cases, such as fetal scans and deep vascular imaging, body motion is successfully used to measure body surface motion, which cannot be detected by any other method, such as electrophysiological or surface motion measurements via camera or radar. Ultrasound imaging devices can achieve sufficient depth. Furthermore, ultrasound can be used to perform accurate flow assessments, thus enabling not only motion measurements but also detailed quantification of motion.

[0003] Typically, the ultrasound imaging front end is completely separate from the MR imaging device because it is simply not possible to integrate the two into one system.

[0004] WO 01 / 43640 A2 describes a diagnostic imaging system, in particular a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a receiver antenna for picking up magnetic resonance signals and an ultrasound probe for receiving ultrasound echoes. A reconstruction unit is configured to reconstruct a diagnostic image from the magnetic resonance signals and the ultrasound echoes. In particular, the magnetic resonance image and the ultrasound image are registered to a common reference time frame and / or geometric distortions in the ultrasound image are corrected based on the magnetic resonance image. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide the possibility to combine and coordinate ultrasound and MR imaging with one another for improved image quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, this object is addressed by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0007] Therefore, according to the present invention there is provided a magnetic resonance receive coil array for an imaging system, said magnetic resonance receive coil array comprising: at least one radio frequency receiver antenna; at least one digital amplifier signal acquisition unit configured to receive magnetic resonance signals from the radio frequency receiver antenna and output digitally amplified magnetic resonance data; at least one ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer being capable of being acoustically coupled to an object to be inspected; at least one ultrasound signal acquisition unit, which receives ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer and outputs digital ultrasound data; A digital control and merging unit comprising a controller module and a merge module, the controller module is configured to generate a control signal comprising a first control signal for the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit; the merge module is configured to receive the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data and output the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit configured to combine the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to optimize the data acquisition and / or optimize image reconstruction; Digital control and merging unit A magnetic resonance receive coil array is provided, having:

[0008] The proposed invention provides the possibility to process MR and ultrasound (US) data simultaneously with precise time alignment: a common time reference allows physiological measurements and images to be temporally correlated, e.g., via coordinated control signals.

[0009] "Optimizing data acquisition and / or image reconstruction" preferably means that the combination of digital data does not necessarily have to be on the image. Measures such as measurements from ultrasound acquisition can be used to modify the MR sequence or parameters to "optimize data acquisition." For the "optimizing image reconstruction" measure, preferably, two images, i.e., an MR image and an US image, can be used, either separately or superimposed. The essential point is that both images contain the same time frame. They can be evaluated separately or fused.

[0010] With respect to currently used solutions, the present invention allows for minimizing the footprint of the US imaging hardware inside the MR bore, since the US hardware is integrated and, for example, shares a controller unit and a power supply. Thus, the present invention allows for minimizing the impact on MR image quality. Furthermore, the present invention simplifies the design for safety and electromagnetic compatibility of combined MR / US image acquisition systems.

[0011] As a result, the cost of additional ultrasound imaging is low because ultrasound-specific hardware is limited. Furthermore, patient preparation for dual imaging is simple and fast, and can be easily incorporated into the MR imaging flow.

[0012] Highly accurate alignment of MR and ultrasound operations enables multiple new use cases for combined imaging. For example, cardiac imaging can be performed simultaneously, with MR scans producing volumetric images while ultrasound is used for flow imaging and quantification. The time-aligned combination of MR and US imaging significantly reduces scan times while improving diagnostic capabilities.

[0013] Preferably, the digital control and merging unit includes a digital state machine that generates alignment control signals for the MR and ultrasound imaging units according to a user program. It also includes digital hardware, such as an FPGA device, with at least one digital transceiver so that a digital data network can be built. More preferably, it has multiple digital transceivers, one of which can support the high data throughput required by ultrasound imaging probes in some use cases. More preferably, the digital control and merging unit uses a precise timing reference, such as a crystal oscillator, that is propagated to the MR signal acquisition unit and ultrasound probe, preferably also to the MR transmit coil. The same timing reference, or a derivative thereof, is used to retime the incoming MR and ultrasound data, resulting in a perfectly time-aligned data stream that is propagated for back-end processing and image reconstruction.

[0014] Preferably, the digital control and merging unit includes features for locally generating ultrasound images or locally processing ultrasound data. For example, flow information can be locally extracted and used to adapt MR transmit sequences or MR data acquisition. Preferably, the digital control and merging unit further comprises a wireless device with battery power and wireless communication.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the digital data processing unit is further configured to receive position information of at least one radio frequency (RF) receiver antenna, position information of at least one ultrasound transducer, and a topology of the at least one radio frequency (RF) receiver antenna and at least one ultrasound transducer, and to reconstruct a composite image according to the radio frequency antenna position information, the ultrasound transducer position information, and the topology of the radio frequency antenna and the ultrasound transducer. The topology describes the specific arrangement of devices and circuits that constitute a computer network in which computers are interconnected and exchange data. The configuration of the integrated US transducer and MR coil array is known to the data processing unit. In this way, the positions of the radio frequency (RF) receiver antenna and the ultrasound transducer, as well as the topology of the components, are known for better reconstruction, especially for flexible coil arrays and / or variable ultrasound transducer geometries. The transducer positions are determined by the sensitivity profiles of both RF coils, which are spatially uniquely encoded by MR gradients. The position information, along with the mutual topology of the RF coil elements and the ultrasound transducer, is used for image reconstruction.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the merge module is configured to align the timing of outputting the digitally amplified MR data and / or the digital ultrasound data. In this way, the transmission of MR and US signals can be time-aligned, particularly according to a previously described clinical procedure. For example, ultrasound can be used to establish and track cardiac motion dynamics, which can then be used as a trigger to an MR imaging sequence so that the MR transmitter is aligned with a specific cardiac phase or motion.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the merge module is configured to align the timing of receiving the digitally amplified MR data and / or the digital ultrasound data. In this way, the reception of the MR and / or US signals can be aligned in time, particularly according to a previously described clinical procedure. The ultrasound receiver can view the same objects as the MR receiver, for example, heart valves, or evaluate similar aspects, such as morphology or different flow quantification.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller module is configured to generate a predetermined sequence of first and second control signals, thereby defining sequences for controlling the MR and / or US signals at different sequences or intervals, particularly according to a predefined clinical procedure.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller module is configured to evaluate the digital ultrasound data and adjust the first control signal according to the evaluation of the digital ultrasound data. In this way, in a first step, knowledge can be obtained from the ultrasound data that influences the subsequent MR scan. The operation of the MR digital amplifier signal acquisition unit is specifically dynamically adjusted according to the evaluated ultrasound data.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller module is configured to evaluate the digital MR data and adjust the second control signal according to the evaluation of the digitally amplified MR data. In this way, in a first step, knowledge can be obtained from the MR data that influences the subsequent US scan. The operation of the ultrasound signal acquisition unit is specifically dynamically adjusted according to the evaluated MR data.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a magnetic resonance receive coil array comprises a plurality of radio frequency (RF) receiver antennas and a plurality of digital amplifier signal acquisition units interconnected via a digital network connected to a digital control and merging unit, the digital amplifier signal acquisition units being interconnected by the digital network to form a ring network.

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasound signal acquisition unit is connected to a digital network and / or a digital control and merging unit. The ultrasound signal acquisition unit is integrated into the infrastructure of the MR receiver coil array, in particular the data, control and / or power infrastructure. The ultrasound signal acquisition unit is integrated into the MR receiver coil array and connected to the MR coil power supply and the digital network. In particular, if the ultrasound acquisition is configured to generate more received data than the coil network can transmit, a dedicated readout optical cable is used for the digital control and merging unit and for data transmission. Such an optical cable does not affect the MR compatibility of the ultrasound integration.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each radio frequency (RF) receiver antenna includes at least one ultrasound transducer. One or more ultrasound probes are integrated into each MR receiver coil element. MR signal localization, necessary for MR image reconstruction, is used, in particular, to localize the origin of the US signal. Joint detection also allows the development of combined processing algorithms to improve sensitivity and specificity beyond the capabilities of each single modality. In particular, the MR receiver coil array includes a close-contact MR coil, e.g., for the carotid artery, or a wearable coil, depending on the need for ultrasound for direct skin contact.

[0024] Preferably, the ultrasound transducer is coupled to the patient via a water-based gel. Acoustic coupling is introduced via a semi-rigid gel, particularly over designated areas on the patient, before the MR receiver coil array is placed on the patient. In this case, the complete ultrasound probe is integrated into the MR coil assembly. Alternatively, the ultrasound transducer is preferably attached to the patient and connected to the rest of the ultrasound acquisition in the MR receiver coil array via a simple short cable. Alternatively, the complete ultrasound acquisition and digitization unit is integrated into a device, preferably pre-positioned on the patient, and can be plugged into the MR coil using a digital interface.

[0025] The present invention further provides a method for acquiring measurement data using the magnetic resonance receive coil array described above, comprising the steps of: generating a control signal comprising a first control signal for the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit, and providing the first control signal to the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and the second control signal to the ultrasound signal acquisition unit; using the digital amplifier signal acquisition unit to receive magnetic resonance signals from the radio frequency receiver antenna and output digitally amplified magnetic resonance data; using the ultrasound signal acquisition unit to receive ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer and output digital ultrasound data; receiving the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data using the merge module; outputting the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit that combines the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to optimize the data acquisition and / or optimize image reconstruction; The present invention relates to a method comprising:

[0026] An essential aspect of the present invention is that both signals, MR signals and US signals, are used to generate a composite image, in particular a volume coverage US image. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of: providing location information of the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna; providing position information of the at least one ultrasonic transducer; providing a topology for the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna and the at least one ultrasonic transducer; Reconstructing a constituent image according to the position information of the radio frequency antenna, the position information of the ultrasonic transducer, and the topology of the radio frequency antenna and the ultrasonic transducer; It has.

[0027] In this way, the use of flexible receive coil arrays and / or variable ultrasound transducer geometries is possible. The position information and topology are received and known by a digital data processing unit which reconstructs a composite image, in particular a volumetric ultrasound image.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of: merging the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data using the merge module and outputting the merged magnetic resonance and ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit. It further has:

[0029] The digital MR and digital US data are merged and output in a time-aligned manner, where "merging" means combining the signals according to their position and / or origin and / or timestamp.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of: evaluating the digital ultrasound data and adjusting the first control signal according to the evaluation of the digital ultrasound data; or evaluating the digitized magnetic resonance data and adjusting the second control signal according to the evaluation of the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data. It further has:

[0031] The present invention further relates to a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging device comprising the above-mentioned magnetic resonance (MR) receiver coil array.

[0032] The present invention further relates to a computer program product comprising instructions for causing the above-mentioned magnetic resonance (MR) receiver coil array to perform the steps of the above-mentioned method.

[0033] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter, but such embodiments do not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, and reference should therefore be made to the claims and this specification for interpreting the scope of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an MR receiver coil array comprising a plurality of digital RF amplifiers and an ultrasound transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an MR receiver coil array with an ultrasound transducer having a data flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]1 shows a flowchart of a method for acquiring measurement data using an ultrasound transducer in a magnetic resonance (MR) receiver coil array according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an MR receiver coil array 1 including multiple digital amplifiers and multiple sensor nodes. FIG. 1 shows an example of a 16-channel MR receiver coil array 1. The MR receiver coil array 1 consists of 16 radio frequency (RF) receiver antennas 2, two of which are interconnected with digital amplifier signal acquisition units 3. FIG. 1 shows that the MR receiver coil array 1 is housed in a coil array housing 4 and can be connected to the rear end of an imaging system, for example, by a coil cable 14 and a coil plug 15. The four digital amplifier signal acquisition units 3 are interconnected via a coil loop connection 16, forming a ring network of digital amplifier signal acquisition units 3. The digital amplifier signal acquisition units 3 are interconnected by a digital network 11 and connected to the digital network 11 via a digital network connection 12. A common-mode RF choke 17 can be introduced into the digital network 11 to block high-frequency noise in the galvanic cable. If the digital network is an optical common-mode RF choke 17, this is not necessary. The digital amplifier signal acquisition section 3 receives the MR signals from the RF receiver antenna 2 and outputs digitally amplified MR signals. The network of digital amplifier signal acquisition units 3 forwards the digitally amplified MR signals to a digital control and merging unit 8 comprising a controller module 9 and a merging module 10, where the data from the individual channels are combined into a single data stream. The single data stream is further transmitted via a coil cable 14 to a backend digital data processing unit external to the MR receive coil array where image reconstruction takes place.

[0036] The MR receiver coil array 1 further comprises an ultrasound transducer 5 connected to an ultrasound acquisition unit 7. The ultrasound acquisition unit 7 is connected via the same digital network 11 as the digital control and merging unit 8. Thus, the ultrasound acquisition unit 7 is integrated into the infrastructure of the MR receiver coil array 1. For higher data transmission possibilities, the ultrasound acquisition unit 7 can be directly connected to the digital control and merging unit 8 via an optical link 13. The ultrasound acquisition unit 7 is configured to receive ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer 5 and output digital ultrasound signals to the digital control and merging unit 8. A merging module 10 combines the MR data and the ultrasound data. The combined data is further transmitted via a coil cable 14 to a data processing unit 23, where image reconstruction is performed.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an MR receiver coil array 1, including its components and data transfer. The MR receiver coil array 1 includes an RF receiver antenna 2 connected to a digital amplifier module 18. The digital amplifier module 18 is interconnected with a digital network 11. From the digital network 11, the digital amplifier module 18 receives an MR control signal 19. The digital amplifier module 18 transmits MR data 20 from the RF receiver antenna to a digital control and merging unit 8 via the digital network 11. The ultrasound acquisition unit 7 is connected to the digital network 11 and an ultrasound transducer 5, and can transmit and receive ultrasound control signals 21 and ultrasound data 22 between the digital network 11 and the ultrasound transducer 5. The ultrasound transducer is external to the MR receiver coil array 1 and is placed directly on the subject 6. For proper operation, the ultrasound transducer 5 is coupled to the subject 6 via a water-based gel. Acoustic coupling can be introduced via a semi-rigid gel on a designated area on the subject 6 before the MR receiver coil array 1 is positioned on the subject 6. In this case, the complete ultrasound probe is integrated with the MR receiver coil array 1. Via a digital network 11, ultrasound data 22 is transferred to a digital control and merging unit 8. Alternatively, the ultrasound data 22 can be transferred to the digital control and merging unit 8 via an optical link 13. The digital control and merging unit 8 provides mutually adjusted MR signals 20 and ultrasound signals 22. The digital control and merging unit 8 is configured to evaluate the MR and / or ultrasound signals and adjust the MR and / or ultrasound control signals according to the evaluation.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for acquiring measurement data using an MR receiver coil array 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In step S1, control signals are generated. The control signals include a first control signal for the MR digital amplifier signal acquisition unit 3 and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit 7. A control signal is provided for each acquisition unit. In step S2a, MR signals are received from the RF receiver antenna 2 and output as digital MR data 20 by the digital amplifier signal acquisition unit 3. In step S2b, ultrasound signals are received from the ultrasound transducer 5 and output as digital ultrasound data 22 by the ultrasound signal acquisition unit 7. After the MR and ultrasound data are transmitted, they are received by a merging module 10 of the digital control and merging unit 8 in step S3. In step S4, the merging module 10 merges the data, particularly by combining the data according to the signal position and / or origin and / or timestamp. In step S5, the merged data is output to a digital data processing unit, which generates a composite image.

[0039] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered exemplary or illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims are not to be construed as limiting the scope. Moreover, for the sake of clarity, not all elements in the drawings have been labeled with reference signs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] MR receiver coil array 1 RF receiver antenna 2 Digital amplifier signal acquisition unit 3 Coil array housing 4 Ultrasonic Transducer 5 Test subject 6 Ultrasound Acquisition Unit 7 Digital Control Merging Unit 8 Controller Module 9 Merge Module 10 Digital Network 11 Digital Network Connections 12 Optical Link 13 Coiled Cable 14 Coil plug 15 Coil loop connection 16 Common Mode RF Choke 17 Digital Amplifier Module 18 MR control signal 19 MR Data 20 Ultrasonic Control Signal 21 Ultrasound Data 22

Claims

1. 1. A magnetic resonance receive coil array for an imaging system, the magnetic resonance receive coil array comprising: at least one radio frequency receiver antenna; at least one digital amplifier signal acquisition unit configured to receive magnetic resonance signals from the radio frequency receiver antenna and output digitally amplified magnetic resonance data; at least one ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer being capable of being acoustically coupled to an object to be inspected; at least one ultrasound signal acquisition unit, which receives ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer and outputs digital ultrasound data; A digital control and merging unit comprising a controller module and a merge module, the controller module is configured to generate a control signal comprising a first control signal for the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit; the merge module is configured to receive the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data and output the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit configured to combine the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to optimize the data acquisition and / or optimize image reconstruction. Digital control and merging unit A magnetic resonance receive coil array having:

2. 2. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the digital data processing unit is further configured to receive position information of the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna, position information of the at least one ultrasound transducer, and a topology of the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna and the at least one ultrasound transducer, and to reconstruct a composite image according to the position information of the radio frequency antenna, the position information of the ultrasound transducer, and the topology of the radio frequency antenna and the ultrasound transducer.

3. 3. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the merge module is configured to align the timing of outputting the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and / or the digital ultrasound data.

4. 4. A magnetic resonance receive coil array according to claim 1, wherein the merge module is configured to align the timing of receiving the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and / or the digital ultrasound data.

5. 5. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the controller module is configured to generate a predetermined sequence of the first control signal and the second control signal.

6. 6. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the controller module is configured to evaluate the digital ultrasound data and adjust the first control signal according to the evaluation of the digital ultrasound data.

7. 7. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the controller module is configured to evaluate the digitized magnetic resonance data and adjust the second control signal according to an evaluation of the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data.

8. 8. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 1, wherein the magnetic resonance receive coil array comprises a plurality of radio frequency receiver antennas and a plurality of digital amplifier signal acquisition units interconnected via a digital network connected to the digital control and merging unit.

9. 9. The magnetic resonance receive coil array of claim 8, wherein the ultrasound signal acquisition unit is connected to the digital network and / or the digital control and merging unit.

10. 10. A method for acquiring measurement data using a magnetic resonance receive coil array according to any one of claims 1 to 9, said method comprising the steps of: generating a control signal comprising a first control signal for the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and a second control signal for the ultrasound signal acquisition unit, and providing the first control signal to the magnetic resonance digital amplifier signal acquisition unit and the second control signal to the ultrasound signal acquisition unit; using the digital amplifier signal acquisition unit to receive magnetic resonance signals from the radio frequency receiver antenna and output digitally amplified magnetic resonance data; using the ultrasound signal acquisition unit to receive ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transducer and output digital ultrasound data; receiving the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data using the merge module; outputting the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit that combines the digital magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data to optimize the data acquisition and / or optimize image reconstruction; A method comprising:

11. providing location information of the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna; providing position information of the at least one ultrasonic transducer; providing a topology for the at least one radio frequency receiver antenna and the at least one ultrasonic transducer; Reconstructing a constituent image according to the position information of the radio frequency antenna, the position information of the ultrasonic transducer, and the topology of the radio frequency antenna and the ultrasonic transducer; The method of claim 10 further comprising:

12. merging the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data and the digital ultrasound data using the merge module and outputting the merged magnetic resonance and ultrasound data to a digital data processing unit.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11, further comprising:

13. evaluating the digital ultrasound data and adjusting the first control signal according to the evaluation of the digital ultrasound data; or evaluating the digitized magnetic resonance data and adjusting the second control signal according to the evaluation of the digitally amplified magnetic resonance data.

13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising:

14. A magnetic resonance imaging device comprising a magnetic resonance receive coil array according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

15. 14. A computer program product comprising instructions for causing a magnetic resonance receive coil array according to any one of claims 1 to 10 to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 10 to 13.

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