MR Receive Coil Digitization and Wireless Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MR imaging systems face challenges with extensive cabling between receiving antennas and back-end electronics, leading to increased complexity, cost, and safety concerns due to interference and high local specific absorption rate (SAR) from metallic parts, which limits the use of massive parallel imaging.
Innovation Solution
The MR device incorporates receiving units with digitizing means and transmitters for digital signal sampling and wireless transmission to a central processing unit, utilizing synchronization means to ensure precise timing and phase alignment of signal sampling, reducing the need for extensive cabling and minimizing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple receiving antennas are used for parallel imaging, then imaging speed and resolution are improved, but the amount of cabling and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical connection system (cables and connectors) with a wireless communication system. Each receiving coil transmits its signal wirelessly to a central receiving unit, eliminating the need for extensive physical cabling while maintaining the ability to connect multiple coils for parallel imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication medium as an intermediary between the receiving coils and the central processing unit. This intermediary enables signal transmission without direct physical connections, reducing cabling complexity while allowing multiple coils to be connected.
2Measurement precision
If multiple receiving antennas are used for parallel imaging, then imaging speed and resolution are improved, but the cost and safety risks increase due to interference and high local SAR from metallic parts
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing metallic cables and connectors with wireless communication, the patent eliminates the source of electromagnetic interference and reduces local SAR in the examination zone. The wireless transmission occurs outside the magnet bore, away from the patient and sensitive RF fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the signal transmission function from the metallic cabling system and relocates it to a wireless communication system. This separates the harmful metallic components from the examination zone while preserving the essential function of transmitting signals from multiple receiving coils.
3Device complexity
If wireless transmission is used to reduce cabling, then device complexity is reduced, but phase synchronization between multiple receiving units becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a reference signal is transmitted wirelessly to each receiving unit, and the actual signal transmission includes feedback about timing and phase information. This allows the central processing unit to synchronize the signals from multiple receiving units despite the wireless transmission medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary synchronization by transmitting a reference signal before the actual imaging signals. This preliminary action establishes a common timing reference for all receiving units, enabling accurate phase synchronization during the actual signal acquisition.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for magnetic resonance imaging of a body (7) placed in a stationary and substantially homogeneous main magnetic field comprising a main magnet (2) for generation of a stationary and substantially homogeneous main magnetic field within the examination zone. In order to provide an MR device (1) which is arranged to allow for massive parallel imaging without extensive cabling between the individual receiving coils and the back end electronics, the invention proposes to make provision for a plurality of receiving units (10a, 10b, 10c) placed in or near the examination zone, which receiving units (10a, 10b, 10c) each comprise a receiving antenna (12a, 12b, 12c) for receiving MR signals from the body, a digitizing means (21a, 21b, 21c) for sampling the received MR signals and for transforming the signal samples into digital signals, and a transmitter (22a, 22b, 22c) for transmitting the digital signals to a central processing unit (13). Further, the device (1) comprises synchronization means (17) for synchronizing the operation of the individual digitizing means (21a, 21b, 21c) of the receiving units (10a, 10b, 10c).