Phased array shoulder coil

1. An antenna assembly for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:

a housing having an inner surface, an outer surface and defining an inner annular space, the inner surface being adapted to fit over a shoulder of a patient; and

a pair of coils arranged within the inner annular space of the housing to form a phased array antenna for receiving resonance signals.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of coils are arranged to partially overlap.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein a position of at least one of the coils is adjustable relative to the other.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 3 , wherein the adjustable coil is adjusted to substantially cancel mutual inductance in the phase array antenna.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the coils is shaped as an oval.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the coils is shaped as a ring.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface comprises a concave section adapted to snugly fit over the shoulder of the patient.

8. A magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a pair of opposed elements spaced apart along a horizontal pole axis and defining a patient-receiving space therebetween;

a device for supporting a patient in the patient receiving space; and

a phased array antenna coil assembly for receiving magnetic resonance signals mounted to the device and adapted to fit over a shoulder of a patient.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the phased array antenna coil assembly comprises a hollow shell housing a first coil and a second coil arranged to partially overlap each other.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second coils are oval in shape.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second coils are circular in shape.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprises a superconducting magnet.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprises a resistive electromagnet.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the opposed elements are arranged to define a magnetic field volume associated with the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and the phased array antenna coil assembly is positionable in the imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the device is adjustable along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of a patient supported by the device so as to position the phased array antenna coil assembly in the imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

16. A method for imaging a patient in a magnetic resonance imaging magnet, comprising:

providing a magnet having a pair of elements spaced apart along a horizontal magnetic field axis and defining a patient-receiving space therebetween;

affixing a phased array antenna coil assembly to a patient support apparatus; and

positioning the patient on the patient support apparatus such that the phased array shoulder coil fits over the patient's shoulder.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

establishing a substantially horizontal static magnetic field between the elements;

eliciting magnetic resonance signals by transmitting radio frequency energy to the shoulder of the patient; and

receiving the magnetic resonance signals at the phased array antenna coil.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning the patient in a substantially upright position.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising positioning the patient in a sitting position.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising positioning the patient in a kneeling position.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising positioning the patient in a standing position.

22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning the patient in a recumbent position.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein positioning further comprises titling the patient support apparatus 30 degrees off vertical.