Expandable MRI Array Coil for Variable Patient Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MRI receiving coils with fixed coil lengths face challenges in maintaining image quality due to size mismatches between the coil and the examinee, leading to overlapping or gaps that affect magnetic coupling and signal acquisition, especially when covering three-dimensional curved surfaces or varying examinee sizes.
Innovation Solution
An array coil design featuring a coil unit with flexible sub-coils and a expandable/contractable casing, allowing the inter-center distance between sub-coils to adjust, ensuring optimal positioning and magnetic coupling regardless of the examinee's size, thereby maintaining high image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed coil length is used in the receiving coil, then the coil structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but image quality deteriorates when the examinee size does not match the coil size due to overlapping or gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the coil casing expandable and contractable in the depth direction. The casing can change its length dynamically to match different examinee sizes, allowing the sub-coils to maintain optimal spacing without overlapping or gaps. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by enabling the coil to adapt its dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the length parameter of the coil casing. The casing length can be adjusted between a first length and a second length to accommodate different examinee sizes. This parameter change allows the coil to maintain proper sub-coil spacing and magnetic coupling efficiency, thereby preserving image quality across various examinee sizes without requiring completely different coil designs.
2Manufacturing precision
If the coil length is adjusted to match different examinee sizes, then image quality is maintained, but the coil structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the dynamics principle to implement an expandable and contractable coil casing that can adjust its length in the depth direction. This dynamic structure allows the coil to adapt to different examinee sizes while maintaining a relatively straightforward design. The casing expansion and contraction mechanism provides the necessary length adjustment without requiring completely complex reconfigurable coil structures.
3Device complexity
If sub-coils are arranged with fixed spacing, then the coil design is simple, but magnetic coupling efficiency decreases when examinee size varies causing overlapping or gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by enabling the coil casing to expand and contract, which dynamically adjusts the spacing between sub-coils. When the casing expands or contracts, the sub-coils move accordingly to maintain optimal spacing relative to the examinee's body. This dynamic adjustment ensures consistent magnetic coupling efficiency across different examinee sizes without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting the spacing parameter between sub-coils through casing expansion and contraction. The spacing between sub-coils changes in response to examinee size variations, allowing the coil to maintain optimal magnetic coupling efficiency. This parameter adjustment is achieved through the expandable and contractable casing structure rather than through complex active positioning systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The array coil design ensures high image quality across varying examinee sizes by adjusting sub-coil spacing, preventing signal loss and maintaining efficient magnetic coupling, even when covering diverse anatomical shapes without requiring multiple coil configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a coil casing 460 formed of a material which expands and contracts in at least one direction and accommodates the coil unit 410 therein
Implementation Method 2
an array coil 400 which includes a coil unit 410 in which a plurality of sub-coils 410 each other having a loop coil portion 420 in which a conductor 421 with flexibility of a predetermined length is curved and which is adjusted to receive a magnetic resonance signal from an examinee 103
Data Source
AI summary
An MRI image with high image quality can be acquired regardless of a size of an examinee. An array coil includes: a coil unit in which a plurality of sub-coils which includes a loop coil portion in which a conductor having flexibility with a predetermined length is curved and which is adjusted to receive a magnetic resonance signal from an examinee are arranged at predetermined intervals; and a coil casing that is formed of a sheet-shaped material which expands and contracts in at least one direction and accommodates the coil unit therein. At least one position of each of the plurality of sub-coils is fixed to the coil casing and an inter-center distance between the sub-coils varies with expansion and contraction of the coil casing.