MRI Coil Balun Reduction via Shared Cable Bundles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current MRI coil designs with a high number of channels face challenges such as increased complexity, degradation of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance, and higher costs due to the need for numerous baluns and coax cables, which complicate RF coil design and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution reduces the number of baluns in MRI coils by employing techniques such as shared baluns, star topology, and daisy chain topology, which allow for good channel isolation and reduced RF leakage, thereby simplifying the RF design, improving SNR performance, and lowering costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple baluns and coax cables are used in high-channel-count MRI coils, then channel isolation and RF leakage mitigation are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple coax cables into a single bundled cable assembly, reducing the number of discrete baluns required. Multiple coil elements share common RF pathways through the bundled cable structure, achieving channel isolation without requiring individual baluns for each channel
Solution Approach 2:
The bundled cable structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides RF signal transmission, maintains channel isolation, and mitigates RF leakage through its integrated design. The single cable assembly replaces multiple separate components that each performed similar functions
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple baluns and coax cables are used in high-channel-count MRI coils, then RF leakage is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple coax cables into a single bundled assembly, the patent reduces the total number of baluns and cable connectors required, directly lowering component costs and assembly complexity while maintaining RF leakage mitigation through the integrated structure
3Reliability
If multiple baluns are used in MRI coils, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but RF design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple RF pathways into a bundled cable structure that maintains signal integrity and SNR performance while presenting a unified, simplified RF design interface. The bundled structure reduces the number of RF connection points and simplifies impedance matching requirements
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
This approach results in reduced complexity of RF design, enhanced SNR performance, and lower costs by minimizing the number of baluns and coax cables, addressing the challenges faced by existing high-channel-count MRI coils.
Implementation Method 1
An imaging coil should be able to resonate at a selected Larmor frequency. The resonant frequency, f, of a RF coil is determined by the inductance (L) and capacitance (C) of the inductor capacitor circuit
Implementation Method 2
RF coils can create the B1 field that rotates the net magnetization in a pulse sequence. RF coils can also detect precessing transverse magnetization
Implementation Method 3
at least one shared balun of that coil element group configured to mitigate leakage current on the coaxial cable of each coil element of that coil element group
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to MRI coils with a reduced number of baluns. One example embodiment is a MRI coil comprising: a plurality of coil elements in one or more groups of coil elements, wherein each group of coil elements comprises at least two coil elements and a shared trace comprising portions of associated traces of each coil element of that group RF shorted together, and wherein, for each coil element of that group, the shared trace of the group is RF shorted to a shield of an associated coaxial cable for that coil element; and one or more baluns, wherein, for each group of coil elements, at least one balun of the one or more baluns is configured to mitigate leakage current on the coaxial cable of each coil element of that group of coil elements.