US 6,982,554 B2
System and method for operating transmit or transmit/receive elements in an MR system
Krishna Nagaraj Kurpad, Madison, Wis. (US); Steven M. Wright, College Station, Tex. (US); and Eddy Benjamin Boskamp, Menomonee Falls, Wis. (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, N.Y. (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/835,363.
Prior Publication US 2005/0242816 A1, Nov. 03, 2005
Int. Cl. G01V 3/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 324—318 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A radio frequency (RF) coil for resonance imaging/analysis comprising:
a plurality of tunable axial rungs arranged in parallel to define an imaging volume;
a plurality of RF current sources individually coupled to respective individual members of said plurality of axial rungs generating currents as a function of an input control voltage, wherein said RF current sources are arranged such that an excitation pattern of the RF coil is adjustable such that a distance between said RF current sources is adjusted to simulate any size of rectangular loop; and
a controller generating said input control voltage for varying amplitude and phase of said current sources.