Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of radio frequency probe or coil design for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. The present invention finds particular application in conjunction with probes or coil designs which are not circularly symmetric and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is also applicable to circularly symmetric probes or coils in which conductor placement is not fully symmetric relative to all axes.
NMR probes are most commonly constructed either of wide foil sheets or a small cross section of wire conductors. The foil conductor probes include slotted tube resonators and Adelman-Grant resonators. In foil probes, the current distribution on the foil is determined by electromagnetic laws governing the nature of sheet currents and are not necessarily uniform. The wire type probes are exemplified by saddle coils and loop-type surface coils. Unlike foil probes which provide the designer with relatively little design discretion to adjust current densities, wire probes are readily adjustable. In wire type probes, the designer can shape the current distribution by choosing the proper location for conductors. For example, in saddle coils, angular locations of 120.degree. and 60.degree. have been determined to yield the best transverse uniformity. Hybrid probes in which wire type coils are constructed of foil strips in a saddle, loop, or like configuration, provide a compromise between the advantages of foil type probes and the design flexibility of wire type probes.
Previously, many efforts have been made to optimize the field uniformity of NMR probes. The geometries of single turn saddle coils and slotted tube resonators along a circular cylinder have been optimized for various diameters. Multi turn saddle coils provide increased uniformity for low frequency magnetic resonance imaging, but stray capacitive effects limit their utility at higher frequencies.
Among the most uniform probes is the bird cage coil illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,680,548 and 4,694,255. In bird cage coils, a plurality of conductors are mounted longitudinally at equal spacings on the surface of a circular cylinder. Each conductor is interrupted by a capacitor, each of which has the same capacitance. Field uniformity is improved by increasing the number of symmetrically disposed conductors. The amplitude of the parallel conductor currents are weighted as a cosine function which yields an optimum uniformity. This optimum weighting is the result of the symmetrical arrangement of identical longitudinal conductor branches. Another drawback to the bird cage coil resides in the complexity of fine tuning. In order to maintain the symmetry around the circular cylinder, during tuning it is necessary for all capacitors to be adjusted to the same capacitance value.
Another approach for optimizing field uniformity is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,818 to Peter C. Butson. A plurality of conductors are arranged at spaced positions around a circular cylinder. The conductors, whose positions are mirror imaged about two orthogonal axes, have different cross sections. The conductors are arranged at precise 30.degree. intervals and have different diameters. This difference in conductor diameter changes the relative impedance of the conductors, hence the amount of current flowing therethrough.
The present invention provides a new and improved method of designing coils with uniform fields which allows the coils to be non-circular or otherwise unsymmetric and the coils so designed.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of constructing an RF probe for magnetic resonance apparatus is provided. A plurality of conductor branches are mounted along an examination region. With the standard relationships, such as the Biot-Savart Law, the current flows which maximize the field of uniformity in the examination region are calculated for each of the conductor branches. The self inductance of each conductor branch and the mutual inductance of each conductor with adjoining branches is calculated. An additional reactance, commonly a capacitance, is added to at least some conductor branches, which reactances are selected such that the current flow through the plurality of conductor branches matches the selected current flow pattern.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an RF coil section is provided in which a plurality of conductor branches are connected in parallel. Reactances such as capacitors, are added to some of the branches such that the net reactance varies among the branches.
In accordance with the other aspects of the present invention, a plurality of the coil sections are connected in series; a plurality of the coils are connected in parallel; or a plurality of coils are interconnected in part in series and in part in parallel. In another aspect, a capacitance is connected across the feed to the coil sections for adjusting the resonant frequency of the coil.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an improved saddle coil is provided. A first pair of conductor branches are connected in parallel; and a second pair of conductor branches are connected in parallel. The first and second pairs of branches are connected in series with first and second feed points. Reactances are added to some of the branches for adjusting the relative current flow through the branches to achieve a selected current pattern.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, another pair of series connected coil segments of the same design is connected in parallel across the feed points.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, at least one of the coil segments are detachable and replaceable with a reactance module which mimics the removed coil segment.
One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a practical method for optimizing field uniformity.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates the design of non-uniform and non-circular magnetic resonance probes and coils.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides non-circular and non-symmetric magnetic resonance probes with improved magnetic field uniformity.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention may take form in various steps and arrangements of steps and in various components and arrangements of components. The drawings are only for purposes illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of an RF coil section in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a general representation of a probe with two parallel coil sections;
FIG. 4 is a representation of a probe with two series coil sections;
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a magnetic resonance probe with a combination of series and parallel connected coil sections;
FIG. 6 illustrates a saddle coil electrical diagram of the probe of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6A is an end view of the saddle coil of FIG. 6;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the probe of FIG. 1 illustrating the removability of a top portion;
FIG. 8 is an electrical diagram of the bottom half of the probe of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is another alternate embodiment, ideally suited for cervical spin studies; and,
FIG. 10 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a coil section.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
With reference to FIG. 1, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic field means A for generating magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients through an image of an examination region 10. A plurality of superconducting, resistive, or permanent magnets 12 create a substantially uniform, static magnetic field through the image region. A main magnetic field controller 14 controls superconducting and resistive magnets to optimize field uniformity. Gradient field coils 16 under the control of a gradient field controller 18 selectively cause magnetic field gradients across the image region. Commonly, gradients of selectable slope are selectively applied along one or more mutually orthogonal axes having an apex adjacent a center of the image region.
A resonance means B excites, manipulates, and recovers magnetic resonance of selected dipoles within the image region. More specifically, a radio frequency transmitter 20 selectively applies current pulses to a resonator probe 22 to excite selected dipoles in the image region to resonate or to tip or rotate the magnetization of resonating nuclei. The probe 22 functions as an antenna for a radio frequency receiver 24 to receive radio frequency magnetic resonance signals emanating from the resonating nuclei.
An image reconstruction means C reconstructs an image representation from the received magnetic resonance signals. A transform means 30 applies a two dimensional inverse Fourier transform or other appropriate transform to each received magnetic resonance signal to generate transformed views. An image memory 32 accumulates the transformed views into an image representation. The completed image representation can be displayed on a video monitor 34, stored on tape or disk, subject to further processing, or the like. An imaging sequence control means 36 controls the gradient field control means 18, the radio frequency transmitter 20, and other circuit components such that the imager implements a selected one of the many known magnetic resonance imaging sequences.
With reference to FIG. 2, the probe 22 includes at least one coil section that has a plurality n of conductor branches, 40.sub.0 -40.sub.n. The conductor branches may lie in two or three dimensions. A tuning reactance 42, such as capacitor C.sub.t is connected across the feed points 44, 46 of the coil section to adjust the resonant frequency of the coil to the Larmor frequency. The conductor branches include a plurality of reactances 48, particularly capacitors C.sub.1 -C.sub.n. The capacitors are selected so that the current I.sub.0 -I.sub.n through each of the branches matches a precalculated current distribution.
For a uniform magnetic field, or a magnetic field of other preselected characteristics, the Biot-Savart Law or other known relationships dictates the current flow through each of the conductor branches. Each conductor branch has a self capacitance, as well as a mutual inductance with adjoining branches. The reactance of the self and mutual inductances and the capacitors determines the relative current flow through each of the conductor branches. The capacitors C.sub.1 -C.sub.n are selected to adjust the reactances of each branch such that the resultant currents I.sub.0 -I.sub.n match the currents prescribed by the Biot-Savart Law.
With reference to FIG. 3, two or more coil sections 50, 52 may be connected in parallel to provide more current branches for improved uniformity in the image region. For design simplicity, it is preferred that the two sections have a two fold or planar symmetry. As illustrated in FIG. 4, two or more coil sections may be connected in series. Again, the sections are preferably arranged with two fold symmetry. With reference to FIG. 5, four of the coil sections 50, 52, 54, 56 are connected in a combination of parallel and series. More specifically to the illustrated embodiment, two pair of series connected coils are connected in parallel. For design simplicity, four fold symmetry is preferred.
With reference to FIGS. 6, 6A, and 7, the probe 22 of the preferred embodiment is a saddle coil with four coil sections 50, 52, 54, and 56. Coil sections 50 and 52 are connected in series as are sections 54 and 56. The two series connected pairs are connected in parallel about the feed points 44, 46. In the preferred embodiment, each coil section has two conductor branches offset from a horizontal axis by angles .theta..sub.0 and .theta..sub.1 through which currents I.sub.0 and I.sub.1 flow, respectively. An adjustable reactance, preferably a capacitor C.sub.0, is connected with the two conductor branches for adjusting the ratio of the current flow therethrough. Preferably, the reactance means is a capacitor in one of the branches or conductors. The capacitor is adjusted to achieve the relative current flow designated by the Biot-Savart Law. Alternatively, the field may be monitored and the capacitor iteratively adjusted until the uniformity of the field within the coil is optimized. The tuning capacitor C.sub.t across the feed points adjusts the resonance frequency of the probe.
The probe 22 includes two probe portions 60, 62, each of which extends generally around a half cylinder. A pair of electrical connectors 64 interconnect the two probe portions. The top probe portion, which is above the patient's face, is relatively open so as to be less claustrophobic. An open window 66 is defined in the center of the top portion and is open over 90.degree. or more of arc. While window 66 provides openness in front of the patient's face, it's 90.degree. span prevents the eight conductor branches of the preferred embodiment from being arranged symmetrically at like angles around the cylinder.
With continuing reference to FIG. 7 and further reference to FIG. 8, the top portion 60 of the coil is selectively removable, which enables the lower coil probe portion 62 to function as a neck and cervical spin coil. A reactive module 68 is connected with the connectors 64 in place of the top coil portion 60 to electrically connect an inductive/capacitive reactive load in place of the removed top coil segment. The reactive load of the reactive module 68 is selected to present the same reactance to the lower probe segment as the top coil segment presented. The reactive module maintains current continuity, tuning of the coil, and field uniformity without readjustment.
In the embodiment of FIG. 9, two series connected coils sections 70 and 72 are connected across the feed points 44, 46. Each section has three conductors or branches connected in parallel. The capacitors C.sub.1, C.sub.2 are selected such that the current flows I.sub.0, I.sub.1, and I.sub.2 match the current flows predicted to create the optimum field uniformity in the region of interest. Alternately, the capacitors may be adjusted iteratively by monitoring the uniformity of the magnetic field in the region of interest and adjusting the capacitors until the field uniformity is optimized.
Looking now to the preferred method for calculating design parameters, the capacitor C.sub.t resonates the probe or coil at a frequency .omega.. In the absence of capacitors in each branch, the ratio between the currents I.sub.0, I.sub.1, . . . , I.sub.n would be determined by geometry-dependent branch impedances. The impedance determined current distribution does not necessarily yield a desired field uniformity in the imaging region. To optimize the field uniformity, this method first determines the currents I.sub.0, I.sub.1, . . . , I.sub.n which produces the optimum field distribution and then selects the capacitors C.sub.1, C.sub.2. . . , C.sub.n which causes the current to be divided among the branches such that the selected current distribution is achieved.
The current distribution is determined by a straight forward application of the Biot-Savart Law. In case of a circularly cylindrical coil volume, an angular cosine function for the currents yields optimum field uniformity. Numerical optimization techniques may also be utilized in some geometries.
With reference again to FIG. 2 in which there are n+1 coil branches 40.sub.o -40.sub.n, each of the coil branches has a self inductance L.sub.n and a mutual inductance with adjoining coils M.sub.mn (m.noteq.n). The equivalent circuit is illustrated in FIG. 10.
A ratio .alpha..sub.n of the current in the nth branch I.sub.n, to the current in the first branch, I.sub.0, is: ##EQU1## The self impedance x.sub.n of each branch is: ##EQU2## The mutual inductance X.sub.mn between branches is:
The impedance of x.sub.n of the nth branch, when accounting for all of the mutual inductances is then expressed: ##EQU3## The value of the capacitance C.sub.n for each branch is determined from Equation (2) to be: ##EQU4## After all of the capacitor values are determined, the equivalent impedance of the coil when seen at the feed point X.sub.eq is: ##EQU5## where V is the voltage at the feed point. Stated in terms of the voltage at the feed point: ##EQU6## Thus, for the resonant condition, the impedance of the resonating capacitor should be equal to X.sub.eq, hence C.sub.t is expressed: ##EQU7##
Applying this theory, the self and mutual inductances of the coil branches are measured first without the capacitor C.sub.n. The self inductance of each coil is measured with the other branches disconnected, e.g. an open circuit where the capacitor is to be inserted. The mutual inductance M.sub.mn between branches M and N can be calculated based on Ohm's Law: ##EQU8## where L.sub.m and L.sub.n are self inductances of coils and L.sub.cmn is the inductance of the two branches in parallel.
By way of example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6 in which each section has two branches, the capacitance, by Equations 4 and 5, is: ##EQU9## With four fold symmetry, all four sections 50, 52, 54, 56 can be analyzed analogously. In each coil section, the ratio of I.sub.1 to I.sub.0 of an experimental prototype was determined to be .alpha.=0.9 and the angles between the branches were selected as .theta..sub.1 =11.3.degree. and .theta..sub.2 =44.degree.. The self and mutual inductances for each branch were found to be L.sub.1 =650 nH, L.sub.2 =490 nH, and L.sub.c01 =430 nH. From Equation (9), the mutual inductance M.sub.01 =160 nH. The capacitance C.sub.1 is calculated from Equation (10) to be 49 pF.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such alterations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.