Thin RF Coil MRI Shield Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems often cause patients discomfort due to claustrophobia and reduced imaging volume space, which existing techniques attempt to address but may compromise the performance of system components.
Innovation Solution
A radio frequency coil assembly with a cylindrical RF coil and shield configuration, where the RF shield extends beyond the coil, providing additional space while maintaining efficiency by optimizing the RF coil's axial length and shield dimensions, allowing for a thinner RF coil assembly that fits entirely within the gradient coil cylinder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the RF coil axial length is reduced to increase patient comfort and imaging volume space, then patient comfort and available imaging volume are improved, but RF coil performance and efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the RF shield axially beyond the RF coil ends, using the axial dimension to provide RF containment. This allows the RF coil itself to be made shorter (improving imaging volume) while the extended shield maintains RF field containment and coil efficiency (preserving performance).
Solution Approach 2:
The RF shield acts as an intermediary structure between the RF coil and the surrounding environment. By extending the shield, it mediates the RF field containment function, allowing the RF coil to be shorter while maintaining system performance through the shield's extended containment capability.
2Ease of operation
If techniques are used to increase available imaging volume space, then patient comfort is improved, but the performance of MRI system components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extended RF shield utilizes the axial dimension to provide RF containment, enabling the RF coil to be shortened and thus increasing the radial imaging volume space. This resolves the contradiction by sacrificing minimal axial space to gain significant radial space for patient comfort while maintaining component performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the RF shield, specifically extending its axial length to at least twice the RF coil axial length. This parameter change allows the system to achieve both increased imaging volume (improving patient comfort) and maintained RF coil efficiency (preserving component performance).
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for reducing an amount of space occupied by a radio frequency coil assembly in a magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. In one embodiment, a radio frequency coil assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a radio frequency coil disposed cylindrically around a patient space and a radio frequency shield disposed cylindrically around the patient space and electrically coupled to the axial ends of the radio frequency coil. The radio frequency shield may be configured to extend behind the radio frequency coil, and the axial length of the radio frequency shield may be at least two times the axial length of the radio frequency coil.