Non-overlapping qd MRI RF coil

Claim 2

A quadrature detection MRI RF coil comprising: a single layer of conductors arranged about a volume to be imaged, said conductors being arrayed in four spaced-apart groups and said conductors being interconnected by coupling capacitances; spacing between said groups being greater than spacing between conductors within a group; a first RF port coupled to at least one conductor in a first of said groups and having a first RF phasing; and a second RF port coupled to at least one conductor in a second of said groups and having a second RF phasing which is approximately 90° relative to said first RF phasing.

Claim 3

A quadrature detection MRI RF coil comprising: a first conductive element having a plurality of axially extending fingers arrayed about the circumference of a cylinder, said fingers being located in four circumferentially spaced-apart groups, the spacing between groups being greater than spacing between the fingers within a group; a second conductive element also having a plurality of axially extending fingers arrayed about the circumference of said cylinder and being axially-spaced from and circumferentially aligned with the fingers of said first conductive element; a plurality of RF coupling capacitances interconnecting said first and second elements; a first RF port coupled to at least one finger of a first group of said fingers and having a first RF phasing; and a second RF port coupled at least one finger of a second group of said fingers and having a second RF phasing which is approximately 90° relative to said first RF phasing.

Claim 4

A quadrature detection MRI RF coil comprising: a first conductive element having a plurality of axially extending fingers arrayed about the circumference of a cylinder, said fingers being located in four circumferentially spaced-apart groups, the spacing between groups being greater than spacing between the fingers within a group; a second conductive element also having a plurality of axially extending fingers arrayed about the circumference of said cylinder and being axially-spaced from and circumferentially aligned with the fingers of said first conductive element; a plurality of RF coupling capacitances interconnecting said first and second elements; a first RF port coupled to at least one finger of a first group of said fingers and having a first RF phasing; and a second RF port coupled at least one finger of a second group of said fingers and having a second RF phasing which is approximately 90° relative to said first RF phasing.

Claim 5

A non-overlapping quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil comprising: a three-dimensional structure of conductive elements arranged about a volume to be imaged in a single non-overlapping layer and including opposing portions thereof interconnected by RF coupling capacitances; a first RF port coupled to a first predetermined section of said structure for providing RF signals having a first relative phase from within said volume; and a second RF port coupled to a second predetermined section of said structure for providing RF signals having a second relative phase, approximately 90° with respect to said first relative phase, from within said volume.

Claim 6

A non-overlapping quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil comprising: a three-dimensional structure of conductive elements arranged about a volume to be imaged in a single non-overlapping layer and including opposing portions thereof interconnected by RF coupling capacitances; a first RF port coupled to a first predetermined section of said structure for providing RF signals having a first relative phase from within said volume; and a second RF port coupled to a second predetermined section of said structure for providing RF signals having a second relative phase, approximately 90° with respect to said first relative phase, from within said volume.

Claim 7

A quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said first RF port and said second RF port are coupled to said structure at points spatially offset with respect to one another by approximately 90°.

Claim 8

A non-overlapping quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 3 wherein said structure of conductive elements collectively define a cylindrically-shaped structure comprising: first and second annular bands axially spaced from one another; a first plurality of axially extending fingers emanating from the first band toward said second band; a second plurality of axially extending fingers emanating from the second band toward said first band and disposed to matingly oppose said first fingers across a predetermined annular gap area; coupling capacitors connected across the gap area between corresponding pairs of said first and second fingers; said fingers being circumferentially disposed into four spaced-apart groups interspersed with four extended window areas; a first parallel tuning capacitance connected across the gap area between a predetermined pair of fingers within a first group of fingers; a second parallel tuning capacitance connected across the gap area between a predetermined pair of fingers within a second group of fingers, said second group being one of those groups disposed adjacent said first group; and wherein: said first RF port includes at least a first series coupling capacitor and a first RF transmission line connected across the gap between a predetermined pair of fingers within said first group, and said second RF port includes at least a second series coupling capacitor and a second RF transmission line connected across the gap between a predetermined pair of fingers within said second group.

Claim 9

A non-overlapping quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 5 wherein each of said first and second annular bands include an axially extending slot therethrough and an RF coupling capacitor bridgingly connected thereacross.

Claim 10

A non-overlapping quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 6 further comprising; an isolation capacitor connected between fingers located in two different ones of said groups.

Claim 11

A quadrature detection mangetic resonance imaging RF coil comprising: an array of axially-extending conductive fingers disposed as four separated groups about the circumference of a common cylinder and including gaps in conductivity which are bridged by RF coupling capacitance; first and second annular conductive bands circumferentially interconnecting said fingers at axially spaced-apart locations which encompass said gaps; said annular bands each including at least one axially-extending gap in conductivity which is bridged by RF coupling capacitance; first parallel and series coupling capacitance connected with a first transmission line across the circumferential gap in at least one finger within a first of said groups and providing an RF in/out port of a first relative phase; and second parallel and series coupling capacitance connected with a second transmission line across the circumferential gap in at least one finger within a second of said groups and providing an RF in/out port of a second relative phase which is in quadrature with said first phase.

Claim 12

A quadrature detection mangetic resonance imaging RF coil comprising: an array of axially-extending conductive fingers disposed as four separated groups about the circumference of a common cylinder and including gaps in conductivity which are bridged by RF coupling capacitance; first and second annular conductive bands circumferentially interconnecting said fingers at axially spaced-apart locations which encompass said gaps; said annular bands each including at least one axially-extending gap in conductivity which is bridged by RF coupling capacitance; first parallel and series coupling capacitance connected with a first transmission line across the circumferential gap in at least one finger within a first of said groups and providing an RF in/out port of a first relative phase; and second parallel and series coupling capacitance connected with a second transmission line across the circumferential gap in at least one finger within a second of said groups and providing an RF in/out port of a second relative phase which is in quadrature with said first phase.

Claim 13

A quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 8 wherein: said first and second groups are adjacently located ones of said four groups.

Claim 14

A quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 9 further comprising: an isolation capacitor connected beteeen legs located in two different ones of said groups.

Claim 15

A quadrature detection magnetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 10 wherein each of said groups subtends an angle of approximately 70 degrees.

Claim 16

A quadrature detection mangetic resonance imaging RF coil as in claim 11 wherein the diameter of said cylinder is approximately 22 inches.