Magnetic resonance imaging transmit volume coil

摘要

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil system is provided which comprises an RF coil element comprising a plurality of electrically conductive members (36) spaced to form a generally tubular structure and defining an imaging volume. The coil element is adapted to receive a RF signal and apply a magnetic field to the imaging volume. A signal generator (42) generates the RF signal, and a power splitter (44) is adapted to distribute the RF signal across each of the plurality of electrically conductive members (36) in signals of equal power. A phase shifter (46) receives the split signals from the power splitter (44) and equally phase shifts each of the split RF signals across each of the plurality of electrically conductive members (36) such that each conductor carries the signal at a different phase angle with respect to each other conductor. An amplifier (38) is coupled to each of the conductors (36) for independently controlling the current amplitude of the signal carried on said respective conductor. <IMAGE>