Low field magnetic resonance imaging methods and apparatus
According to some aspects, a laminate panel is provided. The laminate panel comprises at least one laminate layer including at least one non-conductive layer and at least one conductive layer patterned to form at least a portion of a B 0 coil configured to contribute to a B 0 field suitable for use in low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
1. A component for use in magnetic resonance imaging of an object, the component comprising:
a B 0 magnet configured to produce a static B 0 magnetic field to align atomic spins of the object in a direction of the B 0 magnetic field for performing magnetic resonance imaging, the B 0 magnet comprising at least one laminate panel comprising at least one laminate layer including at least one non-conductive layer and at least one conductive layer patterned to form at least one B 0 coil configured to produce, when operated, substantially all of the static B 0 magnetic field.
2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminate layer comprises a plurality of laminate layers having formed thereon the at least one B 0 coil configured to generate the static B 0 magnetic field.
3. The component of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of laminate layers has at least one B 0 coil formed thereon.
4. The component of claim 3 , further comprising one or more vias electrically connecting the at least one B 0 coil formed on each of the plurality of layers.
5. The component of claim 4 , wherein the one or more vias are arranged to reduce parasitic effects on the static B 0 magnetic field.
6. The component of claim 3 , wherein at least one B 0 coil is patterned using a different geometry than at least one other B 0 coil.
7. The component of claim 3 , wherein each of the at least one B 0 coils comprises a plurality of turns of a conductor.
8. The component of claim 7 , wherein at least one B 0 coil, when operated, conducts current in a direction opposite to at least one other B 0 coil.
9. The component of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of laminate layers has a plurality of B 0 coils formed thereon.
10. The component of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B 0 coils, when operated, conducts current in a direction opposite to at least one other of the plurality of B 0 coils patterned on a respective layer of the plurality of laminate layers.
11. The component of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of turns of the conductor of at least one B 0 coil are patterned in a circular geometry.
12. The component of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of turns of the conductor of at least one B 0 coil is patterned in a spiral geometry.
13. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one laminate layer has patterned thereon at least one gradient coil configured to, when operated, generate or contribute to a magnetic field to provide spatial encoding of emitted magnetic resonance (MR) signals.
14. The component of claim 13 , wherein the at least one gradient coil comprises at least one x-gradient coil, at least one y-gradient coil, and at least one z-gradient coil to provide spatial encoding in x, y, and z directions, respectively.
15. The component of claim 14 , wherein:
the x-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel;
the y-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel; and
the z-gradient coil is formed, via chemical etching, on a plurality of layers of the at least one laminate panel.
16. The component of claim 13 , wherein at least one gradient coil is patterned, at least in part, on at least one laminate layer on which at least one B 0 coil is patterned.
17. The component of claim 13 , wherein at least one gradient coil is patterned, at least in part, on a laminate layer on which no B 0 coil is patterned.
18. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one laminate layer has patterned thereon one or more shim coils configured to, when operated, contribute to the static B 0 magnetic field to affect the homogeneity of the static B 0 magnetic field.
19. The component of claim 18 , wherein at least one B 0 coil provides at least one shim coil that can be operated independently of at least one other B 0 coil.
20. The component of claim 1 , where at least one laminate layer comprises electromagnetic shielding formed thereon.
21. The component of claim 20 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding comprises a conductive mesh formed on at least one laminate layer.
22. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises copper.
23. The component of claim 22 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises heavy copper.
24. The component of claim 22 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises extreme copper.
25. The component of claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive layer comprises aluminum.
26. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminate panel comprises a first laminate panel and a second laminate panel arranged in a bi-planar arrangement.
27. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.2 T and greater than or equal to approximately 0.1 T.
28. The component of claim 27 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.1 T and greater than or equal to approximately 0.05 T.
29. The component of claim 28 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately 0.05 T and greater than or equal to approximately 20 mT.
30. The component of claim 29 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately mT and greater than or equal to approximately 10 mT.
31. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of approximately 20 mT or less.
32. The component of claim 31 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of approximately 10 mT or less.
33. The component of claim 26 , wherein when operated, the component produces the static B 0 magnetic field at a field strength of less than or equal to approximately mT and greater than or equal to approximately 5 mT.
34. The component of claim 26 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 8″×8″ or more.
35. The component of claim 34 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 16″×16″ or more.
36. The component of claim 35 , wherein the first laminate panel and the second laminate panel each have dimensions of approximately 22″×22″ or more.
37. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is configured to produce, when operated, the static B 0 magnetic field having a field strength of greater than or equal to approximately 5 mT.
38. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is formed on at least five separate laminate layers of the at least one laminate panel.
39. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is formed on at least ten separate laminate layers of the at least one laminate panel.
40. The component of claim 1 , wherein the at least one B 0 coil is formed on at least twenty separate laminate layers of the at least one laminate panel.