Radio frequency head coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system and methods thereof

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

a body operative to be disposed on a head of a patient;

an extended lip disposed on the body and operative to receive a magnetic resonance signal;

wherein at least some of the magnetic resonance signal is emitted by a region of the patient disposed between a brain stem of the patient up to and including a vertebra of the patient; and

wherein the body comprises a posterior portion operative to receive the head of the patient and an anterior portion operative to be disposed on the head of the patient opposite the posterior portion so as to fit over a face of the patient;

wherein the posterior portion and the anterior portion selectively interlock with one another to form an interior imaging cavity; and

wherein the RF head coil includes a spacer configured to be selectively disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion so as to extend the size of the imaging cavity.

2. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 ,

wherein the vertebra is a C4 vertebra.

3. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the extended lip provides for a field of view extending at least about 34 cm from the brain stem in a direction towards the vertebra when the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

4. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the extended lip extends from the body in a direction towards the vertebra when the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

5. The radio frequency head coil of claim 4 , wherein the vertebra is a C4 vertebra and the extended lip extends at least to the vertebra when the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

6. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the extended lip is integrated into the body.

7. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the extended lip is selectively attachable to the body.

8. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the body and the extended lip collectively include at least forty-eight coil elements.

9. The radio frequency head coil of claim 8 , wherein each of the at least forty-eight coil elements include one or more micro-electro-mechanical (“MEM”) switches.

10. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the anterior portion further includes one or more mounting rails disposed on a front side for mounting one or more devices.

11. The radio frequency head coil of claim 10 further comprising a mirror assembly that provides the patient a front view and a rear view.

12. The radio frequency head coil of claim 11 , wherein the mirror assembly includes a first mirror and a second mirror disposed in a v-shaped holder rotatably mounted to a u-shaped bracket.

13. The radio frequency head coil of claim 12 , wherein the u-shaped bracket includes at least two frame legs that slideably mount to the one or more mounting rails.

14. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the extended lip is sized so as to extend in a direction from the brain stem along the patient's spine to at least a fourth cervical (“C4”) vertebra.

15. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 further comprising a table adapter configured to retain the RF head coil on a table of the Mill system.

16. The radio frequency head coil of claim 1 , wherein the spacer has a U-shaped structure.

17. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

a magnet assembly operative to stimulate a patient such that the patient emits a magnetic resonance signal;

a radio frequency (RF) head coil having a body operative to be disposed on a head of the patient and having an extended lip operative to receive the magnetic resonance signal;

a controller in electronic communication with the radio frequency head coil and operative to generate one or more images based at least in part on the magnetic resonance signal;

wherein at least some of the magnetic resonance signal is emitted by a region of the patient disposed between a brain stem of the patient up to and including a vertebra of the patient; and

wherein the body comprises a posterior portion operative to receive the head of the patient and an anterior portion operative to be disposed on the head of the patient opposite the posterior portion so as to fit over a face of the patient;

wherein the posterior portion and the anterior portion selectively interlock with one another to form an interior imaging cavity; and

wherein the RF head coil includes a spacer configured to be selectively disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion so as to extend the size of the imaging cavity.

18. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 ,

wherein the vertebra is a C4 vertebra.

19. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the extended lip provides for a field of view extending at least about 34 cm from the brain stem in a direction towards the vertebra when the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

20. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the extended lip extends from the body of the radio frequency head coil in a direction towards the vertebra the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

21. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 20 , wherein the vertebra is a C4 vertebra and the extended lip extends at least to the vertebra when the body is disposed on the head of the patient.

22. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the extended lip is integrated into the body of the radio frequency head coil.

23. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the extended lip is selectively attachable to the body of the radio frequency head coil.

24. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the radio frequency head coil includes at least forty-eight coil elements.

25. A method of magnetic resonance imaging a patient comprising:

stimulating a patient via a magnet assembly such that the patient emits a magnetic resonance signal;

receiving the magnetic resonance signal via an extended lip of a radio frequency (RF) head coil having a body which is disposed on a head of the patient;

generating one or more images based at least in part on the magnetic resonance signal via a controller in electronic communication with the radio frequency head coil;

wherein at least some of the magnetic resonance signal is emitted by a region of the patient disposed between a brain stem of the patient up to and including a vertebra of the patient; and

wherein the body comprises a posterior portion operative to receive the head of the patient and an anterior portion operative to be disposed on the head of the patient opposite the posterior portion so as to fit over a face of the patient;

wherein the posterior portion and the anterior portion selectively interlock with one another to form an interior imaging cavity; and

wherein the RF head coil includes a spacer configured to be selectively disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion so as to extend the size of the imaging cavity.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the vertebra is a C4 vertebra.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the extended lip extends from the body of the radio frequency head coil in a direction towards the vertebra.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the radio frequency head coil includes at least forty-eight coil elements.