Method of utilitzation of high dielectric constant (hdc) materials for reducing sar and enhancing snr in mri

Abstract

A method for enhancing the performance of an imaging system that includes providing a magnetic resonance imaging system; providing an object to be imaged, wherein the object has a shape, includes a region of interest therein, and has a first dielectric constant; providing a pad that conforms to the shape of the object and contains a material having a second dielectric constant that is higher than the first dielectric constant; surrounding the pad and the object being imaged with at least one radio frequency coil; using the at least one coil to generate a magnetic field having an intensity of 3 T that extends through the material of the pad and into the region of interest of the object being imaged, and wherein positioning the at least one coil to surround the pad and the object increases the intensity of the magnetic field produced by the at least one coil within the region of interest of the object; using the at least one coil to detect the magnetic field generated in the region of interest of the object being imaged and to convert the detected magnetic field into detectable electrical signals; and increasing signal to noise ratio of detected electrical signals and decreasing required power input to the at least one coil through the placement of the at least one coil around the pad.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for enhancing the performance of an imaging system, comprising:
 (a) providing an imaging system, wherein the imaging system is a magnetic resonance system;   (b) providing an object,
 (i) wherein the object is imaged by the imaging system, 
 (ii) wherein the object being imaged has a shape, 
 (iii) wherein the object being imaged includes a region of interest therein, and 
 (iv) wherein the object being imaged has a first dielectric constant; 
   (c) providing a pad,
 (i) wherein the pad conforms to the shape of the object being imaged, 
 (ii) wherein the pad contains a material having a second dielectric constant, and 
 (iii) wherein the second dielectric constant is higher than the first dielectric constant: 
   (d) surrounding the pad and the object being imaged with at least one radio frequency coil;   (e) using the at least one coil to generate a magnetic field that extends through the material of the pad and into the region of interest of the object being imaged, wherein the magnetic field has an intensity of 3 T, and wherein positioning the at least one coil to surround the pad and the object being imaged increases the intensity of the magnetic field produced by the at least one coil within the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (f) using the at least one coil to detect the magnetic field generated in the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (g) using the at least one coil to convert the detected magnetic field into detectable electrical signals; and   (h) increasing signal to noise ratio of detected electrical signals and decreasing required power input to the at least one coil through the placement of the at least one coil around the pad.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the material in the pad from the group consisting of ceramics, deuterium-based gel, water-based gel, suspensions including dielectric additives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the pad in the form of a helmet that conforms to a portion of the object being imaged. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the material contained within the pad in a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adapting the pad to receive different volumes of high dielectric constant material therein. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reducing the required power input by 50%. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising increasing the signal to noise ratio by 27%. 
     
     
         8 . A method for enhancing the performance of an imaging system, comprising:
 (a) providing an imaging system, wherein the imaging system is a magnetic resonance system;   (b) providing an object,
 (i) wherein the object is imaged by the imaging system, 
 (ii) wherein the object being imaged has a shape, 
 (iii) wherein the object being imaged includes a region of interest therein, and 
 (iv) wherein the object being imaged has a first dielectric constant; 
   (c) providing a pad in the form of a helmet adapted to receive different volumes of material,
 (i) wherein the pad conforms to the shape of the object being imaged, 
 (ii) wherein the pad contains a material having a second dielectric constant, and 
 (iii) wherein the second dielectric constant is higher than the first dielectric constant; 
   (d) surrounding the pad and the object being imaged with at least one radio frequency coil;   (e) using the at least one coil to generate a magnetic field that extends through the material of the pad and into the region of interest of the object being imaged, wherein the magnetic field has an intensity of 3 T, and wherein positioning the at least one coil to surround the pad and the object being imaged increases the intensity of the magnetic field produced by the at least one coil within the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (f) using the at least one coil to detect the magnetic field generated in the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (g) using the at least one coil to convert the detected magnetic field into detectable electrical signals; and   (h) increasing signal to noise ratio of detected electrical signals and decreasing required power input to the at least one coil through the placement of the at least one coil around the pad.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising selecting the material in the pad from the group consisting of ceramics, deuterium-based gel, water-based gel, suspensions including dielectric additives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing the material contained within the pad in a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising reducing the required power input by 50% and increasing the signal to noise ratio by 27%. 
     
     
         12 . A method for enhancing the performance of an imaging system, comprising:
 (a) providing an imaging system, wherein the imaging system is a magnetic resonance system;   (b) providing an object,
 (i) wherein the object is imaged by the imaging system, 
 (ii) wherein the object being imaged has a shape, 
 (iii) wherein the object being imaged includes a region of interest therein, and 
 (iii) wherein the object being imaged has a first dielectric constant; 
   (c) providing a pad,
 (i) wherein the pad conforms to the shape of the object being imaged, 
 (ii) wherein the pad contains a material having a second dielectric constant, and 
 (iii) wherein the second dielectric constant is higher than the first dielectric constant; 
   (d) surrounding the pad and the object being imaged with at least one radio frequency coil;   (e) using the at least one coil to generate a magnetic field that extends through the material of the pad and into the region of interest of the object being imaged, wherein the magnetic field has an intensity of 3 T, and wherein positioning the at least one coil to surround the pad and the object being imaged increases the intensity of the magnetic field produced by the at least one coil within the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (f) using the at least one coil to detect the magnetic field generated in the region of interest of the object being imaged;   (g) using the at least one coil to convert the detected magnetic field into detectable electrical signals; and   (h) increasing signal to noise ratio of detected electrical signals by 27% and decreasing required power input to the at least one coil by 50% through the placement of the at least one coil around the pad.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting the material in the pad from the group consisting of ceramics, deuterium-based gel, water-based gel, suspensions including dielectric additives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing the pad in the form of a helmet that conforms to a portion of the object being imaged. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing the material contained within the pad in a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising adapting the pad to receive different volumes of high dielectric constant material therein.