IP Library Granted Patent US 9,488,713
Granted Patent B2
US 9,488,713 · App. 13/956,318 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Automatic HF shim configuration for coils

Inventors: Rene Gumbrecht (Herzogenaurach, DE); Holger Adolf (Zirndorf, DE); Thomas Benner (Erlangen, DE); Hans-Peter Fautz (Forchheim, DE); Jörg Ulrich Fontius (Neunkirchen A. Brand, DE)
Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
G01R33/5659G01R33/3607G01R33/246G01R33/5612
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,488,713
App. No.
13/956,318
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

In order to configure a transmission coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system without taking a specific measurement object into account, the transmission coil is automatically detected and identified when the transmission coil is connected to the MRI system. A phase setting of a pulse to be transmitted by the detected transmission coil is identified based on at least the identified type of the transmission coil. The transmission coil is excited with the pulse having the identified phase and amplitude.

Claims (27)

1. A method for configuring a multichannel transmission coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the multichannel transmission coil comprising a plurality of parallel transmission coil elements, the method comprising:

detecting a type of the multichannel transmission coil; and

identifying, with a processor, a high frequency (HF) shim from a plurality of predetermined HF shims based on the detected type of multichannel transmission coil, wherein each HF shim of the plurality of predetermined HF shims comprises predetermined amplitude and phase settings for pulses for individual channels of the multichannel transmission coil.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multichannel transmission coil is detected when the multichannel transmission coil is connected to the MRI system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises receiving a coil code from the multichannel transmission coil when the multichannel transmission coil is connected to the MRI system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying comprises automatically identifying the HF shim in response to the detecting of the multichannel transmission coil.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the HF shim from the plurality of predetermined HF shims is based on the type of the detected multichannel transmission coil and additional criteria,

wherein the additional criteria comprises an application for the MRI system, weight of an object to be imaged, a position of the object, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying comprises automatically identifying the HF shim from the plurality of predetermined HF shims based on data related to a measurement layout and an object to be imaged, or data generated from a calibration measurement.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a phase setting prior to the detecting and the identifying, the determining comprising determining the phase setting empirically or with aid of one or more simulations for a predetermined use of the multichannel transmission coil and for a predetermined object.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising imaging an object, the imaging comprising transmitting a pulse with the detected multichannel transmission coil.

9. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to automatically configure a multichannel transmission coil comprising a plurality of parallel transmission coil elements of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the instructions comprising:

automatically detecting the multichannel transmission coil when the multichannel transmission coil is connected to the MRI system, the detecting comprising identifying a type of the multichannel transmission coil; and

identifying a high frequency (HF) shim from a plurality of predetermined HF shims based on the identified type of the multichannel transmission coil, wherein each HF shim of the plurality of predetermined HF shims comprises predetermined amplitude and phase settings for pulses for individual channels of the multichannel transmission coil.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise initiating imaging of an object, the imaging comprising transmitting the pulses with the detected multichannel transmission coil.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the automatically detecting comprises receiving a coil code from the multichannel transmission coil when the multichannel transmission coil is connected to the MRI system.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the identifying comprises automatically identifying the high frequency (HF) shim based on the identified type of the multichannel transmission coil in response to the detecting of the multichannel transmission coil.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the identifying comprises selecting the HF shim from the plurality of predetermined HF shims based on the type of the detected multichannel transmission coil and additional criteria,

wherein the additional criteria comprises an application for the MRI system, weight of an object to be imaged, a position of the object, or a combination thereof.

14. A system for automatic shim configuration for a parallel transmission coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of predetermined high frequency (HF) shims;

a processor in communication with the memory and configured to:

automatically detect the multichannel transmission coil connected to the MRI system, the detection comprising identification of a type of the multichannel transmission coil; and

select an HF shim from the plurality of predetermined HF shims based on the identified type of the multichannel transmission coil, wherein each HF shim of the plurality of predetermined HF shims comprises predetermined amplitude and phase settings for pulses for individual channels of the multichannel transmission coil.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to select the HF shim from the plurality of predetermined HF shims based on the identified type of the multichannel transmission coil, a body region to be imaged, and a predetermined optimization goal.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to initiate imaging of a body region to be imaged, the imaging comprising transmission of the pulses with the detected multichannel transmission coil.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to receive a coil code identifying the type of the multichannel transmission coil in response to the multichannel transmission coil being connected to the MRI system, such that the multichannel transmission coil is automatically detected when the multichannel transmission coil is connected to the MRI system.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 066088 FRAME: 0256. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 071178/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066088/0256 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2017
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 042776/0347 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2014
From: ADOLF, HOGLER; BENNER, THOMAS; FAUTZ, HANS-PETER; FONTIUS, JORG ULRICH; GUMBRECHT, RENE
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 033288/0227 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61847012 · Jul 16, 2013
Related Publication 20150022203A1 · Jan 22, 2015