Nested Wire Groove Shimming Device for MRI Cryostat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shimming devices for MRI systems are complex to manufacture and have low accuracy, with the shimming device often being placed outside the cryostat, which reduces the available imaging space and requires a stronger main magnet.
Innovation Solution
A shimming device with supporting components featuring nested wire groove groups and wires arranged within these grooves, allowing for improved uniformity of the main magnetic field and simplified manufacturing by processing the grooves using CNC machining, and positioning the device between the main magnet and shielding coil assembly within the cryostat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the shimming device is placed outside the cryostat, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the imaging space is reduced and the main magnet strength must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The shimming device is nested within the cryostat structure, specifically positioned between the main magnet and the shielding coil assembly. This nested configuration allows the shimming device to occupy space that would otherwise be unused, maintaining full imaging space while accommodating the shimming functionality within the existing cryostat boundaries.
2Ease of manufacture
If the shimming device is placed outside the cryostat, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but a stronger main magnet is required
Solution Approach 1:
The shimming device acts as an intermediary component between the main magnet and the shielding coil assembly. By introducing this intermediate shimming layer, the magnetic field uniformity is improved, which allows the main magnet to operate at lower strength while achieving the same effective field quality that would otherwise require a stronger main magnet.
3Device complexity
If conventional shimming devices are used, then the structure is simpler, but the magnetic field uniformity accuracy is low
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting component is designed with non-uniform groove distributions and varying groove geometries at different locations. This local quality variation allows the shimming device to address specific magnetic field inhomogeneities in different regions, achieving high magnetic field uniformity accuracy through spatially tailored wire groove configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional two-dimensional wire arrangements to a three-dimensional groove structure with varying depths, orientations, and spatial distributions. This dimensional enhancement allows for more precise control of the shimming current paths, significantly improving magnetic field uniformity accuracy while maintaining manageable structural complexity.
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 configuration enhances the uniformity of the magnetic field, reduces manufacturing costs, and maintains sufficient imaging space without the need for a stronger main magnet, improving the performance and accuracy of MRI systems.
Implementation Method 1
The shimming device may further include wires arranged in the wire grooves of the plurality of wire groove groups of the at least one supporting component
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a shimming device. The shimming device may include at least one supporting component each of which is configured with a plurality of wire groove groups. Each of the plurality of wire groove groups may include a plurality of wire grooves. Each of the plurality of wire grooves may be in a closed shape. The closed shapes formed by the plurality of wire grooves may be nested. The shimming device may further include wires arranged in the wire grooves of the plurality of wire groove groups of the at least one supporting component.