MULTI-ELEMENT RF TRANSMIT COIL FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

摘要

The invention provides for a multi-element transmit coil (100) for a magnetic resonance imaging system (300). The multi-element transmit coil comprises multiple surface coil elements (102) with a coil circuit (104) that has an integrated a radio-frequency sensor (106, 604, 704, 804). The multi-element transmit coil further comprises a power monitoring unit (108) with an analog-to-digital converter (808). The power monitoring unit comprises a processor connected to each analog to digital converter that is operable for receiving a radio-frequency measurement for generating specific absorption rate data (348) for each of the multiple surface coil elements. The multi-element transmit coil further comprises an optical data transmission system (110) connected to the processor. The optical data transmission system is operable for connecting to a magnetic resonance imaging system controller (312, 330). The optical data transmission system is operable for transferring the specific absorption rate data to the magnetic resonance imaging system controller.

主权项

1. A multi-element transmit coil comprising:
a plurality of surface coil elements, each surface coil element comprising a coil circuit, each coil circuit comprising a radio-frequency sensor, the radio-frequency sensor comprising a current sensor and/or a voltage sensor; a plurality of power monitoring units each comprising an analog-to-digital converter directly connected to one of the radio frequency sensors; each power monitoring unit comprising a processor, each of the power monitoring units connected to its analog to digital converter, Wherein each processor is arranged for receiving at least one radio-frequency measurement from its coil circuit using the analog to digital converter, wherein the processor is arranged for generating specific absorption rate data from the radio-frequency measurement for its surface coil elements; an optical data transmission system connected to each of the processors, wherein the optical data transmission system is arranged for connecting to a magnetic resonance imaging system controller, wherein the optical data transmission system is arranged for transferring the specific absorption ratio data from the processor to the magnetic resonance imaging system controller.