US 6,982,552 B2
Methods and systems for fabricating magnetic resonance gradient coils
Christopher Judson Hardy, Schenectady, N.Y. (US); John Frederick Schenck, Voorheesville, N.Y. (US); William Daniel Barber, Ballston Lake, N.Y. (US); and Cornelius Jan Von Morze, Los Altos, Calif. (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Niskayuna, N.Y. (US)
Filed on May 27, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/445,684.
Prior Publication US 2004/0239325 A1, Dec. 02, 2004
Int. Cl. G01V 3/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 324—307 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
30. A method for fabricating a torque-balanced local insertable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gradient coil for generating magnetic fields said method comprising:
arranging conductive material on a surface to define a pattern of a gradient current path on a surface using a set of stream functions oriented in at least one of a z-gradient, a y-gradient; and an x-gradient;
arranging conductive material on the surface to define a pattern of counter-torque current path on the surface wherein a current flowing in the counter-torque current path is optimized to generate a magnetic field that produces torque that balances the torque produced by a current flowing through the gradient current path;
forming a continuous conductive layer coupled to an insulating substrate; and
etching conductive material from the conductive layer to define a current path that conforms to the gradient current path and the counter-torque current path.