MRI RF Coil Clock Synchronization via Multiplexed Signal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatuses face image quality degradation due to frequency errors between the clock oscillators on the coil side and the system side, which affect the phase of echo signals and subsequently the quality of MR images.
Innovation Solution
The MRI apparatus includes a configuration to detect and correct phase differences between the coil clock and the system clock by multiplexing the coil clock with RF pulses and echo signals, using an 8B/10B conversion process for stable clock reproduction, and employing a correcting unit to adjust the echo signal phases based on detected differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate oscillators are installed on the coil side and system side to enable wireless communication, then wireless communication capability is improved, but frequency error between clocks occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits the coil clock signal to the system side through the multiplexed signal, and the frequency detecting unit continuously monitors the frequency of this transmitted clock. Based on the detected frequency information, the system can identify and correct frequency deviations, establishing a feedback mechanism that maintains clock synchronization despite the use of separate oscillators for wireless communication
Solution Approach 2:
The coil clock signal is copied and transmitted along with the echo signals through the multiplexed signal pathway. By transmitting a copy of the original clock signal, the system enables frequency comparison and correction without requiring direct physical connection between the oscillators, thus maintaining wireless communication capability while ensuring frequency accuracy
2Reliability
If 8B/10B conversion process is used for multiplexing, then stable clock reproduction is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The 8B/10B conversion encoding is applied in advance to the data signals before multiplexing with the clock signal. This preliminary encoding ensures that the transmitted signal contains sufficient transitions for reliable clock recovery, while the standardized encoding scheme keeps the processing complexity manageable through well-defined transformation rules
Data Source
AI summary
In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, a transmission RF coil is configured to emit an RF pulse generated by using a first clock. In addition to an echo signal emitted from a patient, a reception RF coil is configured to further receive the RF pulse emitted by the transmission RF coil and configured to transmit, via a wireless communication, a multiplexed signal in which the echo signal digitalized by using a second clock, the RF pulse, and the second clock are multiplexed together. Wireless receiving circuitry is configured to receive the multiplexed signal via a wireless communication. Correcting circuitry is configured to correct the phase of the echo signal on the basis of the RF pulse and the second clock restored from the multiplexed signal received via the wireless communication. Reconstructing circuitry is configured to reconstruct an image by using the corrected echo signal.