Apron MRI Receive Coil Structure for Stable Pre-Exam Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing receive coil units for MRI examinations impose a significant burden on examination technicians due to their large size, instability when worn, and the need for manual handling and connection, leading to discomfort for subjects.
Innovation Solution
A receive coil unit designed with an apron shape that includes a body part covering the front and lateral sides, strap-shaped parts for shoulders, and attachable/detachable belts, allowing easy wearing and stable attachment without the need for manual handling by technicians.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the receive coil unit is attached after the subject lies on the examination bed, then the receive coil can be securely positioned, but the examination technician has to move large receive coils from storage rack with great care, increasing the burden on the technician
Solution Approach 1:
The receive coil unit is designed to be attached to the subject before they lie on the examination bed, allowing the technician to prepare and position the coil in advance. This preliminary attachment action eliminates the need to move large receive coils from storage rack during the examination process, significantly reducing the burden on the technician while ensuring secure positioning
2Ease of operation
If the receive coil unit is hung on one shoulder of the subject, then the receive coil can be attached to front and rear sides before the subject lies on the examination bed, but the receive coils become unstable when worn by the subject
Solution Approach 1:
The receive coil unit is divided into multiple components: a body part covering the front and lateral sides, strap-shaped parts for shoulders, and belt parts for attachment. This segmentation allows the coil to be attached securely at multiple locations (front, rear, and lateral sides) while distributing the weight and improving stability when the subject wears it, preventing the instability associated with single-point attachment
3Adaptability or versatility
If the receive coil unit requires connection cables to connect the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus body and the receive coils, then the receive coil can be positioned flexibly, but the examination technician has to connect cables, increasing the burden on the technician
Solution Approach 1:
The receive coil unit integrates the receiving coils, attachment structures (straps and belts), and connection interfaces into a single unified device. This merging eliminates the need for separate connection cables and multiple attachment components, allowing the technician to simply attach the integrated unit to the subject without additional connection steps, thus reducing the burden while maintaining positioning flexibility
4Reliability
If connection portions are provided at two locations on one shoulder and the flank, then the receive coil can be attached securely, but the subject may feel uncomfortable during the MRI examination
Solution Approach 1:
The receive coil unit employs different attachment methods at different locations: strap-shaped parts for shoulder attachment and belt parts for lateral/flank attachment. This localized differentiation allows secure attachment at multiple points while distributing the attachment points across different body regions, reducing concentration of pressure at any single location and thereby minimizing subject discomfort during the examination
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
Reduces the burden on examination technicians and ensures stable, comfortable MRI examinations by enabling easy and secure fitting of the receive coil unit on subjects, enhancing the overall examination process.
Implementation Method 1
a radio frequency (RF) wave at a resonance frequency specific to an element is applied to an examination part of a subject, a generated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal is received by a receive coil
Data Source
AI summary
A receive coil unit having an apron shape includes a body part in which a plurality of receive coils that receive magnetic resonance signals from a subject under examination are disposed, and that covers a front side and a lateral side of the subject under examination, a first strap-shaped part and a second strap-shaped part that each have one end portion connected to an upper portion of the body part and that have strap shapes respectively placed on both shoulders of the subject under examination, and a first belt and a second belt that are connected to the other end portion of the first strap-shaped part and the other end portion of the second strap-shaped part and that are attachable to and detachable from each other.