Flexible MRI Coil Unit With Through-Hole Size Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coil units for magnetic resonance imaging systems are inflexible and cannot be adjusted to fit subjects of varying sizes, leading to suboptimal fixation and image quality.
Innovation Solution
A coil unit with a flexible cover containing through-holes for string-like members to secure the unit to the subject, allowing for size adjustment and precise positioning of receive coils based on the subject's dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size blanket with receive coils is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot be adjusted to fit subjects of different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The coil cover is divided into multiple sections with through-holes at different positions, allowing the blanket to be segmented and reconfigured for different subject sizes. The receive coils are also arranged in a segmented pattern that can be selectively activated based on the subject size being examined.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through multiple through-holes and string-like members that allow the size and shape of the coil unit to be changed during operation. This enables the same blanket to adapt to different subject sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size blankets.
2Reliability
If a fixed-size coil unit is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but fixation quality deteriorates for subjects of varying sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The coil cover is designed as a universal platform that can serve multiple functions for different subject sizes. The same cover with its array of through-holes can be configured for pediatric, adult, or specialized imaging applications, making one blanket suitable for multiple purposes and improving fixation quality across different patient populations.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket allows changing of geometric parameters such as the effective area and perimeter by selecting different combinations of through-holes for the string-like members. This enables adjustment of the coil unit dimensions to match the subject size, thereby improving fixation quality and signal reception.
3Measurement precision
If the coil unit size is fixed, then the field of view is constant, but image quality deteriorates when not matched to subject size
Solution Approach 1:
The coil cover is pre-configured with multiple through-holes at predetermined positions that correspond to different subject sizes. This preliminary arrangement of adjustment points allows for quick size adaptation without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the imaging procedure, thereby maintaining image quality while minimizing adjustment complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a coil unit, a magnetic resonance imaging system, and a control method of the magnetic resonance imaging system, which can be used by being adjusted according to a size of a subject. A coil unit according to the present disclosure is a coil unit that is fixed to a subject by the string-like member, and includes a plurality of receive coils that receive a nuclear magnetic resonance signal of the subject, and a coil cover that has flexibility and on which the plurality of receive coils are two-dimensionally arranged, in which the coil cover has a plurality of through-holes penetrating from one surface to the other surface, the through-holes being disposed at positions corresponding to a size of the subject, into which the string-like members are inserted.