Multi-turn element RF coil array for multiple channel MRI

1. A radio frequency (RF) coil assembly for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:

a plurality of multi-turn coil elements for receiving RF signals during imaging wherein the multi-turn coil elements are adapted to connect to a corresponding plurality of receive channels in the MRI system operating at frequencies greater than 30 MHz, the multi-turn coil elements each include an inner loop and an outer loop and the inner loop is disposed within the outer loop and coupled to the outer loop in at least one location to form a multiple turned multiple looped structure;

wherein the multi-turn coil elements and the receive channels correspond in number and the multi-turn coil elements are arranged to overlap with respective adjacent multi-turn coil elements such that the inner and outer loops of each multi-turn coil element overlap with the inner and outer loops of an adjacent multi-turn coil element and the multi-turn coil elements are arranged to correspond to a desired field of view within the MRI system.

2. The RF coil assembly of claim 1 wherein the multi-turn coil elements are arranged electrically and mechanically to form an RF coil array.

3. The RF coil assembly of claim 1 wherein the multi-turn coil elements comprise conductive material suitable for use in the MRI system.

4. The RF coil assembly of claim 1 further comprising a corresponding number of balun assemblies and a corresponding number of distributed capacitors positioned selectively about each of the multi-turn coil elements.

5. The RF coil assembly of claim 4 wherein the multi-turn coil elements are overlapped to minimize mutual electromagnetic coupling between the multi-turn coil elements.

6. The RF coil assembly of claim 5 wherein the multi-turned coil elements are turned via the distributed capacitors to cause each multi-turn coil element to resonate at a frequency corresponding substantially to an MRI frequency of the MRI system when the assembly is loaded with a subject to be imaged.

7. The RF coil assembly of claim 1 wherein the multi-turn coil elements each comprise at least one multiple turned loop of conductive material suitable for use in the MRI system.

8. The RF coil assembly of claim 7 wherein the multi-turn coil elements are fabricated using computer-aided design.

9. A radio frequency (RF) coil assembly for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprising:

an RF coil array that comprises a plurality of multi-turn coil elements for receiving RF signals during imaging wherein the multi-turn coil elements are adapted to connect to a corresponding plurality of receive channels in an MRI system operating at frequencies greater than 30 MHz, the multi-turn coil elements each include an inner loop and an outer loop and the inner loop is disposed within the outer loop and coupled to the outer loop in at least one location to form a multiple turned multiple looped structure;

wherein the multi-turn coil elements and the receive channels correspond in number and the multi-turn coil elements are arranged to overlap with respective adjacent multi-turn coil elements such that the inner and outer loops of each multi-turn coil element overlap with the inner and outer loops of an adjacent multi-turn coil element and the multi-turn coil elements are arranged to correspond to a desired field of view within the MRI system.

10. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 wherein the RF coil array comprises a flexible substrate for disposing the multi-turn coil elements thereon.

11. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 wherein the multi-turn coil elements comprise conductive material suitable for use in the MRI system.

12. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 further comprising a corresponding number of balun assemblies and a corresponding number of distributed capacitors positioned selectively about each multi-turn coil element.

13. The RF coil assembly of claim 12 wherein corresponding values of the distributed capacitors are adjusted to cause each multi-turn coil element to resonate at a frequency corresponding substantially to an MRI frequency of the MRI system when the assembly is loaded with a subject to be imaged.

14. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 wherein an extent of overlap is adjusted to minimize mutual electromagnetic coupling between the multi-turn coil elements.

15. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 wherein the RF coil assembly is mechanically coupled to a substrate and the substrate is adapted to be positioned about a subject to be imaged.

16. The RF coil assembly of claim 15 wherein the substrate is flexible and is substantially conformable to a shape of the subject to be imaged.

17. The RF coil assembly of claim 16 further comprising at least two conformable coil assemblies wherein each coil assembly is conformed to a different portion of the subject to be imaged.

18. The RF coil assembly of claim 9 wherein the multi-turn coil elements each comprise a multiple turned loop of conductive material suitable for use in the MRI system.

19. In a magnetic resonance imaging system that includes receive channels that operate above 30 MHz, a radio frequency coil assembly that receives radio frequency signals from a patient while conformed to the patient during imaging of the patient, the coil assembly comprising:

a coil array that arranges coil elements in rows and columns, wherein the coil elements are each connected to a separate receive channel and each include an inner loop and an outer loop, the inner loop is disposed within the outer loop and coupled to the outer loop in at least one location to form a multiple turned multiple looped structure, and the inner and outer loops of each coil element overlap the inner and outer loops of an adjacent coil element in the same column and do not overlap the inner and outer loops of an adjacent coil element in the same row.

20. The coil assembly of claim 19 wherein the coil elements overlap to minimize mutual electromagnetic coupling therebetween.

21. The coil assembly of claim 19 wherein the coil elements are identical.

22. The coil assembly of claim 19 wherein the coil elements each have an octagonal shape.

23. The coil assembly of claim 19 wherein the coil elements are each connected to a corresponding balun assembly and a corresponding distributed capacitor.