Radio frequency receiver array coil for magnetic resonance imaging system, method of use of the coil, and MRI system comprising the coil

1 . A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field;

gradient coils configured to at least partially surround at least a portion of a patient which is being imaged;

a radio frequency (RF) transmit coil configured to apply a transmit RF magnetic field during an RF transmit cycle to at least the portion of a patient and to perturb an alignment of the magnetization with respect to the magnetic field in the portion of the patient; and

at least one RF receive antenna device configured to be positioned adjacent to an area of interest of the patient and to receive during an RF receive cycle a magnetic resonance signal from the area of interest of the patient which is generated in response to the transmit RF magnetic field, wherein the at least one RF receive antenna device comprises:

at least one RF receive coil array,

a detector, and

a first coupling device adapted to connect to an input of the detector a first signal, which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during at least the RF transmit cycle,

wherein: the MRI system includes a main controller; the detector has an output coupled to the main controller to provide to the main controller the first signal, wherein the first signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during at least the RF transmit cycle; a second signal is coupled to the input of the detector, the second signal being proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle; a digital signal output by the detector indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle; and a magnetic resonance image of the area of interest is generated by the main controller based at least in part on the digital signal during the RF receive cycle.

2 . The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling device includes:

a first amplifier; and

a sampling device for coupling to an input of the first amplifier a sampling signal, which is proportional to the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during at least the RF transmit cycle,

wherein an output of the first amplifier is coupled to the input of the detector.

3 . The MRI system of claim 2 , wherein first coupling device further includes:

a second amplifier;

a coupling circuit for coupling to an input of the second amplifier a second sampling signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle; and

a switching device having a first input terminal connected to the output of the first amplifier, and having a second input terminal connected to an output of the second amplifier, and having an output connected to the input of the detector,

wherein the MRI system is configured to control the switching device to connect the output of the first amplifier to the input of the detector during the RF transmit cycle and to connect the output of the second amplifier to the input of the detector during the RF receive cycle, and wherein during the RF receive cycle the digital signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle.

4 . The MRI system of claim 3 , wherein the sampling device comprises a resistive element, or a capacitive element, or an inductive element connected in series with the at least RF receive one coil array, and wherein the coupling circuit comprises an impedance matching network.

5 . The MRI system of claim 3 , wherein the coupling circuit is further configured to couple to the input of the detector a third signal, which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle, and

wherein the first amplifier and the detector each have a sufficient dynamic range such that the third signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle.

6 . The MRI system of claim 3 , wherein the coupling circuit is also configured to couple to the input of the detector a third signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle,

wherein the first amplifier has a switchable gain under control of a control signal of the MRI system, wherein the control signal controls the first amplifier to have a first gain during the RF transmit cycle, and to have a second gain during the RF receive cycle, wherein the second gain is greater than the first gain, and

wherein the third signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle.

7 . The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one RF receive antenna device further comprises:

a second detector; and

a second coupling device adapted to couple to an input of the second detector a second signal, which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil array during the RF receive cycle,

wherein the second detector has an output coupled to the main controller for providing to the main controller a digital signal, wherein the second signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle.

8 . The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one RF receive antenna device further comprises:

a variable impedance element connected in series with the at least one RF coil array, wherein the variable impedance element is controlled by a control signal; and

a data processing circuit having an input connected to the output of the detector and being configured to generate the control signal in response to the output of the detector,

wherein the data processing circuit generates the control signal to cause the variable impedance element to have a first impedance during the RF transmit cycle, and to have a second impedance during the RF receive cycle; and

wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance.

9 . A method, comprising:

producing a magnetic field;

during a radio frequency (RF) transmit cycle applying an RF transmit signal to at least a portion of a patient which is being imaged, and perturbing an alignment of the magnetic field;

sensing with an RF receive antenna device having at least one RF receive coil a magnetic resonance signal emitted from an area of interest of the patient during an RF receive cycle in response to the RF transmit signal;

coupling to an input of a detector a first signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during at least the RF transmit cycle;

outputting from the detector to a processor a digital signal, wherein the digital signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during at least the RF transmit cycle;

discontinuing the RF transmit signal when the digital signal indicates that the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF transmit cycle is greater than a threshold;

coupling to the input of the detector a second signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle, wherein the digital signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle; and

generating a magnetic resonance image of the area of interest based at least in part on the digital signal during the RF receive cycle.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling a switch to selectively couple the first signal to the input of the detector during the RF transmit cycle and to selectively couple the second signal to the input of the detector during the RF receive cycle.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling a variable impedance element connected in series with the at least RF receive one coil array based on the digital signal output by the detector to cause the variable impedance element to have a first impedance during the RF transmit cycle, and to have a second impedance during the RF receive cycle, wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

coupling to an input of a second detector a second signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle; and

outputting from the second detector to the processor a second digital signal, wherein the second digital signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle.

13 . A device configured to receive during a radio frequency (RF) receive cycle a magnetic resonance signal from an area of interest of a patient which is generated in response to a RF transmit signal during an RF transmit cycle of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the device comprising:

at least one RF receive coil element;

a detector configured to communicate with a main controller of the MRI system; and

a first coupling device adapted to couple to an input of the detector a first signal that is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during at least the RF transmit cycle, wherein: the detector has an output for providing a signal; the signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during at least the RF transmit cycle; a second signal is coupled to the input of the detector, the second signal being proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle; a digital signal output by the detector indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle; and a magnetic resonance image of the area of interest is generated by the main controller based at least in part on the digital signal during the RF receive cycle.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the first coupling device includes:

a first amplifier; and

a first sampling device adapted to couple to an input of the first amplifier a sampling signal which is proportional to the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coilelement during at least the RF transmit cycle,

wherein an output of the first amplifier is coupled to the input of the detector.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein first coupling device further includes:

a second amplifier;

a second sampling device for coupling to an input of the second amplifier a second sampling signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle; and

a switching device having a first input terminal connected to the output of the first amplifier, and having a second input terminal connected to an output of the second amplifier, and having an output connected to the input of the detector,

wherein: the switching device is configured to be controlled to connect the output of the first amplifier to the input of the detector during the RF transmit cycle and to connect the output of the second amplifier to the input of the detector during the RF receive cycle, and

wherein during the RF receive cycle the digital signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle.

16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the first coupling device is also configured to couple to the input of the detector a second signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle, and

wherein the first amplifier and the detector each have a sufficient dynamic range such that the first signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle.

17 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the first coupling device is also configured to couple to the input of the detector the second signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle,

wherein the first amplifier has a switchable gain under control of a control signal, wherein control signal controls the first amplifier to have a first gain during the RF transmit cycle, and to have a second gain during the RF receive cycle, wherein the second gain is greater than the first gain, and

wherein the first signal indicates the magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle and during the RF transmit cycle.

18 . The device of claim 13 , further comprising: a second detector; and

a second coupling device for coupling to an input of the second detector a second signal which is proportional to a current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle,

wherein the second detector has an output which is configured to provide a third signal, wherein the third signal indicates a magnitude and/or phase of the current flowing through the at least one RF receive coil element during the RF receive cycle.

19 . The device of claim 13 , further comprising:

a variable impedance element connected in series with the at least one RF coil element, wherein the variable impedance element is controlled by a control signal; and

a data processing circuit having an input connected to the output of the detector and being configured to generate the control signal in response to the output of the detector,

wherein the data processing circuit generates the control signal to cause the variable impedance element to have a first impedance during the RF transmit cycle, and to have a second impedance during the RF receive cycle; and

wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance.