Rf shield for reducing eddy current heating in a pet-mr imaging system

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes an MRI system, either as a stand-alone system or hybrid PET-MRI system. The MRI system includes gradient coils positioned about a patient bore, an RF coil former comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, an RF shield positioned on the outer surface of the RF coil former so as to be formed about the RF coil former, and an RF coil positioned on the inner surface of the RF coil former and about the patient bore, with the RF coil coupled to a pulse generator to emit an RF pulse sequence and receive resulting MR signals from a subject of interest. The RF shield includes a plurality of slits formed therein configured to disrupt the formation of gradient field induced eddy currents on the RF shield, so as to prevent the generation of high temperature profiles on the surface of the shield.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imaging apparatus comprising:
 a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
 a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a patient bore; 
 an RF coil former comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 an RF shield positioned on the outer surface of the RF coil former so as to be formed about the RF coil former; and 
 an RF coil positioned on the inner surface of the RF coil former and about the patient bore, with the RF coil coupled to a pulse generator to emit an RF pulse sequence and receive resulting MR signals from a subject of interest; and 
   wherein the RF shield includes a plurality of slits formed therein configured to disrupt the formation of gradient field induced eddy currents on the RF shield.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of slits includes at least one of:
 a plurality of longitudinal slits extending in a z-direction along the RF shield; and 
 a plurality of circumferential slits formed in a circumferential direction along the RF shield. 
 
     
     
         3 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the RF coil former comprises a pair of raised portions positioned on opposing sides of an indented portion that is indented in a radially inward direction, with the RF shield conforming to the RF coil former so as to also have an a pair of raised portions and an indented portion. 
     
     
         4 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of longitudinal slits are formed on the indented portion of the RF shield. 
     
     
         5 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of longitudinal slits are formed on the pair of raised portions of the RF shield. 
     
     
         6 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of circumferential slits are formed between the indented portion of the RF shield and the pair of raised portions of the RF shield. 
     
     
         7 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of capacitive devices positioned to bridge across the plurality of circumferential slits formed between the indented portion of the RF shield and the pair of raised portions of the RF shield so as to provide an RF short. 
     
     
         8 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of circumferential slits are formed on the pair of raised portions of the RF shield. 
     
     
         9 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a positron emission tomography (PET) system integrated with the MRI system, the PET system having a detector array encircling the patient bore and the RF shield with the detector array being controlled to acquire PET emissions of the subject of interest; and
 wherein the PET detector array is positioned in the indented portion of the RF coil former. 
 
     
     
         10 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a heat removal device positioned on the RF shield at an end of a respective longitudinal slit to remove heat therefrom, the heat removal device comprising one or more components configured to provide electrical insulation and thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         11 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of slits are shaped as linear slits, teardrop-shaped slits or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . An RF coil assembly for use in a stand-alone or hybrid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the RF coil assembly comprising:
 a generally cylindrical RF coil former having an inner surface and an outer surface;   an RF shield affixed to the outer surface of the RF coil former and configured to conform to the outer surface thereof; and   an RF coil affixed to an inward facing surface of the RF coil former;   wherein the RF shield includes:
 a plurality of longitudinal slits cut in the RF shield extending in a z-direction along the RF shield; and 
 a plurality of circumferential slits cut in the RF shield extending in a circumferential direction along the RF shield; 
 wherein the plurality of longitudinal slits and the plurality of circumferential slits are configured to disrupt the formation of gradient field induced eddy currents on the RF shield, so as to thereby reduce a surface temperature of the RF shield. 
   
     
     
         13 . The RF coil assembly of  claim 12  wherein the RF coil former comprises raised portions formed on opposing ends of the RF coil former and an indented portion formed between the raised portions and extending radially inward toward the inner surface; and
 wherein the RF shield includes raised portions and an indented portion corresponding to the raised portions and the indented portion of the RF coil former. 
 
     
     
         14 . The RF coil assembly of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of longitudinal slits comprises at least one of:
 longitudinal slits formed on the indented portion of the RF shield; and 
 longitudinal slits formed on the raised portions of the RF shield. 
 
     
     
         15 . The RF coil assembly of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of circumferential slits comprises at least one of:
 circumferential slits formed between the indented portion of the RF shield and the raised portions of the RF shield; and 
 circumferential slits formed on the raised portions of the RF shield. 
 
     
     
         16 . The RF coil assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of capacitive devices positioned to bridge across the plurality of circumferential slits cut in the RF shield. 
     
     
         17 . The RF coil assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a thermal conductor and an electrical insulator positioned on the RF shield at an end of a respective longitudinal slit to remove heat therefrom, the thermal conductor and the electrical insulator being integrated into a single component or formed as separate components. 
     
     
         18 . A PET-MRI apparatus comprising:
 a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a patient bore, an RF coil former having inner and outer surfaces, an RF shield formed about the outer surface of the RF coil former, and an RF coil positioned on the inner surface of the RF coil former, with the RF coil coupled to a pulse generator to emit an RF pulse sequence and receive resulting MR signals from a subject of interest; and   a positron emission tomography (PET) system having a detector array positioned to encircle the bore, with the detector array being controlled to acquire PET emissions of the subject of interest;   wherein the RF shield includes:
 a pair of raised portions formed on opposing ends of the RF shield; and 
 an indented portion formed between the pair of raised portions, the indented portion being indented in the radial direction inwardly toward the patient bore; 
 a plurality of longitudinal slits formed in the RF shield and extending in a z-direction along the RF shield; and 
 a plurality of circumferential slits formed in the RF shield and extending in a circumferential direction along the RF shield. 
   
     
     
         19 . The PET-MRI apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of longitudinal slits comprises at least one of:
 longitudinal slits formed on the indented portion of the RF shield; and 
 longitudinal slits formed on the pair of raised portions of the RF shield. 
 
     
     
         20 . The PET-MRI apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of circumferential slits comprises at least one of:
 circumferential slits formed between the indented portion of the RF shield and the pair of raised portions of the RF shield; and 
 circumferential slits formed on the pair of raised portions of the RF shield.