RF Coil Assembly with Insulating Housing for MRI Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
MRI RF coils face electrical breakdown due to high voltage and RF energy, posing safety risks to patients, while proximity to the object is necessary for better signal quality, but direct positioning is unsafe.
Innovation Solution
A radiofrequency (RF) coil unit with a substantially annular body and concave indent for patient access, featuring densely arranged RF coil sections on flexible printed circuit boards, and an insulating housing to prevent electrical contact and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the RF coil is positioned closer to the patient, then the signal to noise ratio is improved, but the risk of electrical breakdown and safety hazards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrically insulating material positioned between the RF coil and the patient's head. This intermediary component allows the RF coil to be placed in close proximity to the patient for improved signal quality while preventing direct electrical contact and reducing the risk of electrical breakdown and safety hazards.
2Measurement precision
If the RF coil is positioned directly on the patient, then the signal quality is maximized, but the risk of thermal energy dissipation and skin burns increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrically insulating material serves as a thermal barrier between the RF coil and the patient's skin. This intermediary layer allows the RF coil to be positioned close to the patient for optimal signal quality while preventing excessive thermal energy transfer that could cause skin burns.
3Measurement precision
If the RF coil is positioned closer to the patient, then the imaging capability is enhanced, but the complexity of the device structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible electrically insulating material that can conform to the contours of the patient's head. This thin film approach enables close positioning of the RF coil for enhanced imaging capability while maintaining a relatively simple device structure that adapts to the patient's anatomy.
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
The solution allows for improved MRI image quality by positioning the RF coil closer to the patient while maintaining safety through reduced electrical risk and accommodating medical tubing, enhancing the safety and imaging capabilities for neonates and adults.
Implementation Method 1
one or more RF coils to transmit and receive signals
Implementation Method 2
maintain a distance between the RF coil and the object to be imaged to, for example, avoid unwanted side effects from the RF coil
Data Source
AI summary
Radiofrequency (RF) coil unit and a housing for the RF coil unit is provided. The RF coil unit can include a substantially annular body having a concave indent along a longitudinal direction along the substantially annular body such that when a head of the patient is inserted into an interior of the substantially annular body, at least a portion of the head of the patient is viewable and accessible from a location exterior to the substantially annular body. The housing for the RF coil unit can include a channel to receive the RF coil unit of a MRI device. The housing can enclose regions with high voltages (e.g., 1000 Volts) and/or separate these regions from patient body parts by, for example, including insulating material, thereby enhancing a safety of the patient.