Two-part local shoulder coil, and magnetic resonance tomography apparatus and method employing same

Abstract

Improved patient comfort is provided by a local coil arrangement designed to support the production of an MRT image of a shoulder, wherein the housing of the local coil arrangement is composed of two separable parts.

1 . A magnetic resonance tomography local shoulder coil arrangement, comprising:
 a local shoulder coil configured to at least receive magnetic resonance signals from a shoulder of a patient, said local shoulder coil having a shape and dimensions conforming said local shoulder coil to a shape of a human shoulder;   a housing containing said local shoulder coil; and   said housing and said local shoulder coil contained therein being comprised of two separable parts, and said housing comprising a detachable electrical and mechanical connection configured to detachably connect said two parts.   
     
     
         2 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said housing is configured to allow a patient having a shoulder located in said local shoulder coil to lie on a patient table, and wherein a first of said two parts is configured to be located closer to said patient table and wherein a second of said two parts is configured to be located farther from said patient table. 
     
     
         3 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first of said parts comprises a detachable connection to said patient table. 
     
     
         4 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said table has a base plate thereon, and wherein said first of said two parts is connectable to said base plate. 
     
     
         5 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said two separable parts is configured to be movable toward said shoulder. 
     
     
         6 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said two separable parts are configured to be moved toward each other in order to connect said two parts with each other. 
     
     
         7 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a first of said two separable parts is a part from among a set of parts having respectively different sizes and dimensions to respectively conform two differently sized shoulders, with each part in said set of parts being configured for connection to a second of said two parts. 
     
     
         8 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said two parts have a plane of symmetry therebetween allowing use of said two separable parts both for the left shoulder and the right shoulder of a patient. 
     
     
         9 . A local shoulder coil arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  comprising a first electrical connection at a first of said two separable parts configured to electrically connect a portion of said local shoulder coil in said first of said two separable parts to a magnetic resonance imaging system, and a second electrical connection at a second of said two separable parts configured to electrically connect a portion of said local shoulder coil contained in said second of said two separable parts to said magnetic resonance imaging system. 
     
     
         10 . A magnetic resonance tomography apparatus comprising:
 a magnetic resonance data acquisition unit configured to receive a patient therein;   a local shoulder coil arrangement in said data acquisition unit; and   said local shoulder coil arrangement comprising a local shoulder coil configured to at least receive magnetic resonance signals from a shoulder of a patient, said local shoulder coil having a shape and dimensions conforming said local shoulder coil to a shape of a human shoulder, a housing containing said local shoulder coil, and said housing and said local shoulder coil contained therein being comprised of two separable parts, and said housing comprising a detachable electrical and mechanical connection configured to detachably connect said two parts.   
     
     
         11 . A method for acquiring magnetic resonance data from a shoulder of patient, comprising the steps of:
 configuring a local shoulder coil to substantially conform to a shape of a human shoulder;   dividing said local shoulder coil into two separable parts;   separately positioning said two separable parts on opposite sides of, and adjacent to, a shoulder of a patient;   mechanically and electrically connecting said two separable parts with each other; and   acquiring magnetic resonance data from the shoulder between the two parts connected to each other.