Trellis MRI Coil Array for Variable Body Conformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MRI coil arrays face challenges in accommodating varying body sizes, leading to suboptimal performance due to rigid designs that compromise sensitivity when imaging smaller or larger subjects, and flexible arrays often result in gaps or overlaps depending on body habitus.
Innovation Solution
A trellis coil arrangement with interlinked slats that can stretch and morph to maintain constant perimeter, utilizing a lattice structure with pivotally connected conductors and flexible linking points to ensure optimal conformation to the body, maintaining coil tuning and decoupling across different sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rigid coils are made large enough to accommodate most people, then they can fit larger bodies, but they do not provide optimal sensitivity when imaging smaller objects
Solution Approach 1:
The coil array is designed with flexible, movable coil elements that can dynamically adjust their positions and dimensions to conform to different body sizes and shapes. The coils can be mechanically reconfigured through movable joints and adjustable mounting structures, allowing the same coil array to be optimized for imaging various body habitus while maintaining optimal sensitivity for each specific application.
2Shape
If flexible arrays are wrapped tightly around the body, then they can conform closely to the body surface, but gaps or undesired overlaps occur depending on body habitus
Solution Approach 1:
The coil array is divided into multiple independent, movable coil elements that can be individually adjusted. Each coil element can be positioned and oriented independently to match the contours of the body surface, allowing the array to adapt to various body shapes and sizes without creating gaps or overlaps. The segmented design enables precise local adjustment while maintaining overall array integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If coil array dimensions are fixed, then manufacturing is simplified, but the array cannot adapt to varying body sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The coil array incorporates movable joints, adjustable mounting mechanisms, and flexible connectors that allow the coil elements to be reconfigured after manufacturing. These dynamic features enable the array to adapt to different body sizes and shapes without requiring complex custom manufacturing for each application, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving high adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be, for example, a coil arrangement, which can include a loops including a plurality of first conductors extending in a first direction; a plurality of second conductors extending in a second direction, where the first direction is different from the second direction, and a plurality of linking points linking the first conductors to the second conductors, where the loop(s) can be configured to stretch in a third direction, and a perimeter of the loop is constant. The third direction can be different from the first and second directions, or it can be the same as the first direction or the second direction. The linking points can mechanically and pivotally connect the first conductors to the second conductors. The linking points can include flexible conductors, or the linking points can link the first conductors and the second conductors to a substrate. The substrate can be a trellis substrate.