Open structure breast coil and support arrangement for interventional MRI

摘要

A pair of RF quadrature detection coils are fitted in an open support structure that allows easy diagnostic access to all tissue areas of the human female breast when performing interventional MRI. The open structure dual coil arrangement comprises a flat base and a slightly "V"-shaped bi-planar upper section supported above the lower base section by eight narrow vertical legs. The upper bi-planar section includes two circular openings for accepting the breasts. Four of the support legs are equally spaced at 900 intervals around each breast opening and provide large side-open access areas to the breast tissues via the sides of the support structure. The "V"-shape of the upper portion of the coil support structure increases the gap clearance at both left and right sides of the support structure to further enhance access to the breasts. In a preferred embodiment, two complete MRI quadrature detection coils are supported by the structure and each of the vertical support legs house a pair of conductors forming part of a quadrature detection coil winding. The use of quadrature detection coils increases MRI signal detection efficiency and the open structural support arrangement allows increased accessibility to the breast tissues for efficient interventional MR imaging and easy cleaning after use.