MRI RF Receiver Digital Down Converter Optical Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems face challenges with complex and costly analogue RF receive chains, which require extensive cabling and are prone to electromagnetic interference, leading to inefficiencies in patient throughput, comfort, and image quality due to galvanic wiring coupling effects.
Innovation Solution
A digital interface for the RF receiver coil unit that performs analogue-to-digital conversion within the coil, allowing for digital transmission of signals via optical fibers, reducing galvanic wiring overhead and enabling wireless transmission, and incorporating a local clock oscillator for synchronization, data encoding, and compression to minimize bandwidth and power dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a massive parallel analogue solution with many analogue design elements (RF switches, RF amplifiers, RF power supplies, RF cables, RF connectors) is used, then the MR receive chain can process multiple coil elements, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly due to component spread and unwanted interactions between galvanic parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical analogue signal transmission system with an optical communication system. Optical fibers substitute for RF cables, and optical connectors replace RF connectors. This substitution eliminates galvanic connections, reducing electromagnetic interference and simplifying the system architecture while maintaining the ability to process multiple coil elements through digital signal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical fibers as an intermediary medium between the coil elements and the signal processing unit. This intermediary converts electrical signals to optical signals for transmission, then converts them back to electrical signals at the destination. This mediation eliminates direct galvanic connections, reducing electromagnetic coupling effects and simplifying the overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If extensive cabling is used to connect receive chains in the exam room to analogue to digital converters in the technical room, then signal transmission is achieved, but power consumption increases and the system becomes less reliable due to electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission through RF cables with optical signal transmission through optical fibers. This substitution dramatically reduces power consumption since optical fibers passively transmit light signals without requiring active electrical components along the transmission path. It also improves reliability by eliminating electromagnetic interference that affects electrical cable systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual coils are combined using state of the art wire technology, then coil systems with high element counts can be implemented, but galvanic wiring overhead increases and image quality may deteriorate due to galvanic wiring coupling effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces galvanic wiring with optical fiber connections. This substitution eliminates the harmful galvanic coupling effects that occur between adjacent electrical wires carrying high-frequency RF signals. Optical fibers are electrically isolated, so they do not create electromagnetic interference or coupling effects, allowing for higher coil element counts without degrading image quality.
4Device complexity
If a digital interface is used for the receiver coil unit, then cabling and connector costs and complexity are reduced, but additional control and acquisition features require more sophisticated digital processing capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the MRI system into distinct functional modules: coil elements, optical connection interfaces, digital signal processing units, and control systems. This segmentation allows the digital processing capabilities to be distributed and modularized, making the system more manageable despite the increased automation requirements. Each module can be independently optimized and maintained.
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 solution significantly reduces cabling and connector costs, complexity, and power consumption, enhances patient comfort and diagnostic efficiency, and allows for robust wireless coil solutions with improved manageability and self-diagnostic capabilities, leading to a more cost-effective and reliable MRI system.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical fiber adapted for transmitting the down-converted digital signal from the receiver to a control system of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging radio frequency-receiver (112; 216; 308; 404), the receiver (112; 216; 308; 404) being adapted to receive analog signals from at least one radio frequency receiver coil unit (106; 200; 202; 300; 400; 402), the radio frequency receiver (112; 216; 308; 404) comprising: an analog-digital converter (118; 226) to convert the analog pre-amplified magnetic resonance signal into a digital signal, means (120; 230) for digital down converting the digital signal and a first communication interface (130; 252) adapted for transmitting the down converted digital signal via a communication link (e.g. wireless, optical or wire-bound).