Adjustable Local Coil Arrangement for MRI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing local coil arrangements for magnetic resonance imaging often fail to provide optimal image quality and patient comfort due to their rigid design, which does not accommodate varying patient anatomy, leading to suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio and increased image noise.
Innovation Solution
A modular local coil arrangement comprising multiple coil units and intermediary units that can be adjusted relative to each other to fit different body shapes and sizes, allowing for customizable positioning and support of examination objects like knees, with a mechanism of relative movements perpendicular to the central axis to change the shape and size of the object receiving region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rigid local coil arrangements are configured to fit average patient anatomy, then the device can accommodate most patients (95% percentile), but image quality deteriorates for patients with small or intermediate anatomy dimensions due to suboptimal coil-to-body distance
Solution Approach 1:
The coil arrangement is divided into multiple independently adjustable coil units (first coil unit, second coil unit, etc.) that can be positioned separately to optimize fit for different body regions and patient sizes, allowing each segment to be adjusted independently rather than moving the entire rigid structure
Solution Approach 2:
The coil units are made dynamically adjustable through positioning mechanisms that allow movement along the longitudinal axis and radial direction, enabling the coil arrangement to adapt its shape and size to match different patient anatomies while maintaining optimal coil-to-body distance for high image quality
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible local coil arrangements are used to accommodate varying body shapes, then adaptability improves, but bulges and protrusions occur that limit image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible coil arrangement is segmented into multiple coil units with independent positioning capabilities, allowing each unit to conform to local body contours without creating disruptive bulges, as the segmentation distributes the adaptation across multiple controlled segments rather than a single flexible structure
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning of coil units is controlled by adjusting parameters such as longitudinal position and radial distance through drive mechanisms, enabling precise control over coil-to-body distance and orientation to achieve optimal imaging conditions without unwanted protrusions
3Measurement precision
If coil units are positioned close to the body to improve signal-to-noise ratio, then image quality improves, but patient comfort deteriorates due to unpleasant pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The coil arrangement is segmented into multiple units that can be independently positioned, allowing the system to achieve close coil-to-body distance for high signal-to-noise ratio in critical imaging regions while maintaining larger gaps in non-critical areas, thus preserving patient comfort
Solution Approach 2:
Different coil units can be positioned at different distances from the body based on local imaging requirements, allowing optimal signal-to-noise ratio in regions requiring high detail while maintaining patient comfort in regions where close contact is not necessary for image quality
4Adaptability or versatility
If the local coil arrangement is configured too big to accommodate larger patients, then adaptability improves, but image noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The large coil arrangement is segmented into multiple units that can be independently adjusted, allowing the system to configure a large overall structure to accommodate larger patients while positioning individual coil units close to the body only where needed, thus avoiding the increased image noise that would result from a uniformly large configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The coil units can be dynamically repositioned to match the patient's actual body size and shape, allowing the arrangement to be large when needed for accommodation but with coil units positioned optimally close to the body to maintain low image noise through controlled adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
A local coil arrangement and a magnetic resonance apparatus are provided for examining an examination object by magnetic resonance. A local coil arrangement includes at least a first coil unit and a second coil unit and at least a first intermediary unit. In an assembled state, the first intermediary unit is arranged between the first coil unit and the second coil unit. The first coil unit, the second coil unit and the first intermediary unit enclose at least partially an object receiving region for accommodating the examination object. The object receiving region includes a central axis. The shape and/or size of the object receiving region may be changed by relative movements of the first coil unit, of the second coil unit and of the first intermediary unit perpendicular to the central axis.