Methods, Devices, And Systems Useful In Registration

1 - 58 . (canceled)

59 . A device comprising:

a. a radio-frequency (RF) coil;

b. a first structure coupled to the RF coil, the first structure having:

i. multiple magnetic resonance imaging-visible markers; and

ii. multiple touch point features configured to interface with a registration tool during a physical registration process, each touch point feature having a fixed spatial relationship to at least one magnetic resonance imaging-visible marker.

60 . A device comprising:

a. a radio-frequency (RF) coil;

b. a first structure coupled to the RF coil,

c. an attachment mechanism providing the first structure with adjustment in at least four degrees of freedom of movement when the device is fixed to a patient's head, the at least four degrees of freedom of movement including translation in a head-foot direction of the patient, translation in an up-down direction, movement comprising azimuthal rotation, and movement comprising tilting.

61 . The device according to claim 75 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises:

a translation bracket fixed to the first structure;

a vertical strut coupled to the translation bracket for linear translation and angular displacement of the translation bracket relative to the vertical strut;

an upper arch coupled to the vertical strut for linear translation and angular displacement of the vertical strut relative to the upper arch; and

a lower structure coupled to the upper arch;

wherein:

translation of the first structure in the head-foot direction of the patient involves linear translation of the translation bracket relative to the vertical strut;

translation of the first structure in the up-down direction involves linear translation of the vertical strut relative to the upper arch;

movement of the first structure comprising azimuthal rotation involves angular displacement of the vertical strut relative to the upper arch; and movement of the first structure comprising tilting involves angular displacement of the translation bracket relative to the vertical strut.

62 . The device of claim 76 , wherein the first structure includes:

multiple magnetic resonance imaging-visible markers; and

multiple touch point features configured to interface with a registration tool during a physical registration process, each touch point feature having a fixed spatial relationship to at least one magnetic resonance imaging-visible marker.

63 . The device according to claim 74 , wherein the first structure includes multiple recesses, each of the recesses for receiving one of the magnetic resonance imaging-visible markers.

64 . The device according to claim 78 , further comprising a plurality of removable caps, each cap operatively coupled to the first structure to cover one of the recesses, each of the caps configured to provide one of the touch point features.

65 . The device according to claim 79 , configured to withstand a sterilization process while maintaining both the visibility under magnetic resonance imaging of the magnetic resonance imaging-visible markers and the signal-to-noise performance of the device.

66 . The device according to claim 74 , further comprising a second radio-frequency coil coupled to the first structure, wherein the second radio frequency coil is optionally smaller than the RF coil, and wherein the second radio-frequency coil is optionally capable of achieving higher signal-to-noise ratio in magnetic resonance imaging than is achievable by the RF coil.