Receiver coils for magnetic resonance apparatus

摘要

A magnetic resonance apparatus includes a multi-mode receiver assembly which facilitates operation in both a quadrature combination mode and phased array mode. The multi-mode receiver assembly includes a receiver coil assembly (30) comprising a first RF coil assembly (32) and a second RF coil assembly (34). A signal combining circuit, which includes a switch means, performs at least one of combining and splitting magnetic resonance signals received by the first and second RF coil assemblies (30, 32). The application of a DC bias potential to the switch means switches the multi-mode receiver assembly into the quadrature combination mode in which the received magnetic resonance signals are phase shifted and combined into a quadrature signal and an anti-quadrature signal. The absence of a DC bias potential to the switch means switches the multi-mode receiver assembly into the phased array mode in which the received magnetic resonance signals are phase shifted and passed individually to corresponding receivers. The multi-mode capability of the receiver assembly allows an operator to switch from a quadrature mode, which is provides faster reconstruction, to a phased array mode, which provides better image quality, within a single examination. <IMAGE>