IP Library Granted Patent US 11,243,287
Granted Patent B2
US 11,243,287 · App. 16/590,979 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Real-time compensation of high-order concomitant magnetic fields

Inventors: Chad Harris (Toronto, CA); Geron Bindseil (Toronto, CA); Andrew T. Curtis (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL INC.
G01R33/56581G01R33/3875
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,243,287
App. No.
16/590,979
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, electromagnet device, and system for reducing a higher order term of a concomitant field in an imaging magnetic field during magnetic resonance imaging is described. The electromagnet system has a first shim coil configured to be driven to generate a first compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a first second-order compensation term, the first compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a first second-order concomitant magnetic field.

Claims (44)

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

an electromagnet system for reducing a higher order term of a concomitant field in an imaging magnetic field during magnetic resonance imaging, the electromagnet system having:

a first shim coil configured to be driven to generate a first compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a first second-order compensation term, the first compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a first second-order concomitant magnetic field; and

a z-gradient coil for generating the imaging magnetic field in the z-direction, wherein the first shim coil is designed to reduce the sensitivity of mutual inductance with the z-gradient coil.

2. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the first shim coil is an x 2 +y 2 shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has an x 2 +y 2 spatial variation.

3. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the first shim coil is one of:

a z 2 shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a z 2 spatial variation,

a zx shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a zx spatial variation, and

a yz shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a yz spatial variation.

4. The MRI system of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnet system further comprises at least one of: a z 2 shim coil, a zx shim coil, or a yz shim coil,

the z 2 shim coil configured to be driven to generate a second compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a second second-order compensation term, the second compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a second second-order concomitant magnetic field with a z 2 spatial variation,

the zx shim coil configured to be driven to generate a third compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a third second-order compensation term, the third compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a third second-order concomitant magnetic field with a zx spatial variation, and

the yz shim coil configured to be driven to generate a fourth compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a fourth second-order compensation term, the fourth compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a fourth second-order concomitant magnetic field with a yz spatial variation.

5. The MRI system of claim 4 , wherein

the second second-order compensation term is (G x 2 +G y 2 )/(2*B 0 ),

the third second-order compensation term is −G x *G z /(2*B 0 ), and

the fourth second-order compensation term is −G y *G z /(2*B 0 ).

6. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the first shim coil is a matrix coil.

7. A method for reducing a higher order term of a concomitant field in an imaging magnetic field during magnetic resonance imaging, the imaging magnetic field in the z-direction being generated by driving a z-gradient coil, the method comprising:

generating a first compensation magnetic field with a first shim coil during imaging according to a first second-order compensation term, the first compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a first second-order concomitant magnetic field, wherein a mutual inductance constraint is applied to the first second-order compensation term for reducing the sensitivity of mutual inductance between the first shim coil and the z-gradient coil.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first shim coil is an x 2 +y 2 shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has an x 2 +y 2 spatial variation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first shim coil is one of:

a z 2 shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a z 2 spatial variation,

a zx shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a zx spatial variation, and

a yz shim coil and the first second-order concomitant magnetic field has a yz spatial variation.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first compensation magnetic field comprises: designing and creating the x 2 +y 2 shim coil to produce the compensation magnetic field; and driving the x 2 +y 2 shim coil during magnetic resonance imaging.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating at least one of: a second, third, or fourth compensation magnetic field during imaging,

the second compensation magnetic field being generated with a z 2 shim coil according to a second second-order compensation term, the second compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a second second-order concomitant magnetic field with a z 2 spatial variation,

the third compensation magnetic field being generated with a zx shim coil according to a third second-order compensation term, the third compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a third second-order concomitant magnetic field with a zx spatial variation, and

the fourth compensation magnetic field being generated with a yz shim coil according to a fourth second-order compensation term, the fourth compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a fourth second-order concomitant magnetic field with a yz spatial variation.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein

the second second-order compensation term is (G x 2 +G y 2 )/(2*B 0 ),

the third second-order compensation term is −Gx*G z /(2*B 0 ), and

the fourth second-order compensation term is −G y *G z /(2*B 0 ).

13. An electromagnet for reducing a higher order term of a concomitant field in an imaging magnetic field during magnetic resonance imaging, the imaging magnetic field in the z-direction being generated by driving a z-gradient coil, the electromagnet configured to be driven to generate a first compensation magnetic field during imaging according to a first second-order compensation term, the first compensation magnetic field having a similar amplitude but opposite direction as that of a first second-order concomitant magnetic field, wherein a mutual inductance constraint is applied to the first second-order compensation term for reducing the sensitivity of mutual inductance between the electromagnet and the z-gradient coil.

14. The electromagnet of claim 13 , wherein the electromagnet is an x 2 +y 2 shim coil for correcting the first second-order concomitant magnetic field with an x 2 +y 2 spatial variation.

15. The electromagnet of claim 13 , wherein the electromagnet is one of:

a z 2 shim coil for correcting the first second-order concomitant magnetic field with a z 2 spatial variation,

a zx shim coil for correcting the first second-order concomitant magnetic field with a zx spatial variation, and

a yz shim coil for correcting the first second-order concomitant magnetic field with a yz spatial variation.

16. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the first second-order compensation term is (G z 2 )/(8*B 0 ).

17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first second-order compensation term is (G z 2 )/(8*B 0 ).

18. The electromagnet of claim 13 , wherein the first second-order compensation term is (G z 2 )/(8*B 0 ).

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2021
From: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL INC.
To: ESPRESSO CAPITAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 054922/0791 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL (BARBADOS) INC.
To: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 054297/0047 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2020
From: HARRIS, CHAD; BINDSEIL, GERON ANDRÉ; CURTIS, ANDREW T.
To: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL (BARBADOS) INC.
Reel/Frame 054062/0383 →