US2015173678A1PendingUtilityA1

Garment mri antenna array

46
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 23, 2011Filed: Mar 2, 2015Published: Jun 25, 2015
Est. expiryNov 23, 2031(~5.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Randall W. Jones
A61B 5/055A61B 5/6804G01R 33/34G01R 33/3415G01R 33/3657G01R 33/34007G01R 33/34084
46
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Claims

Abstract

An MRI antenna array including a housing and a substrate, antenna elements and circuitry encapsulated by the housing. The housing, antenna elements, and substrate are flexible to allow the housing to distort in three dimensions to closely conform to contours of a patient. The antenna elements are mounted to the substrate in a manner that permits each element to maintain a desired resonance when the housing is distorted in three dimensions. The circuitry is electrically coupled with the antenna elements to maintain tuning and isolation of the elements when the housing is distorted in three dimensions. The housing, antenna elements, and substrate may be elastic to allow the housing to be worn by a plurality of different sized patients so that the housing is in close contact with the patient and conforms to contours of the patient.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . A magnetic resonance imaging antenna array for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals from a patient, comprising:
 a flexible substrate; and   an antenna element coupled to the flexible substrate at least at two attachment points, wherein the antenna element comprises a plurality of wires woven together to form a flexible elongate cylinder such that the antenna element is operable to expand and contract between the attachment points, and wherein the combination of the substrate and antenna element is operable to flex in three dimensions.   
     
     
         2 . The array of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible and elastic housing that at least partially encapsulates the flexible substrate and the antenna element, wherein the housing, the substrate, and the antenna element form a garment pelvic array. 
     
     
         3 . The array of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible and elastic housing that at least partially encapsulates the flexible substrate and the antenna element, wherein the housing, the substrate, and the antenna element form a garment shoulder array. 
     
     
         4 . The array of  claim 3 , wherein the garment shoulder array is configured to be worn by a patient in a manner that permits the patient to extend the patient's arm out to the patient's side and above the patient's head. 
     
     
         5 . The array of  claim 1 , further comprising a cable that is electrically coupled with the antenna element with a quick disconnect connector. 
     
     
         6 . The array of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element comprises an insulator encircled by the plurality of wires, and wherein the insulator is elongate, cylindrical, and elastic. 
     
     
         7 . The array of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wires comprises at least one bulge that is operable to stretch and contract. 
     
     
         8 . The array of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of wires is electrically conductive. 
     
     
         9 . The array of  claim 1 , further comprising a second antenna element coupled to the flexible substrate, wherein the second antenna element comprises a plurality of wires woven together to form a second flexible elongate cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The array of  claim 9 , further comprising circuitry that is electrically coupled to each of the antenna elements for maintaining tuning and isolation between the antenna elements when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions. 
     
     
         11 . The array of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element maintains a desired resonance when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The array of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible elongate cylinder is hollow. 
     
     
         13 . A magnetic resonance imaging antenna array for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals from a patient, comprising:
 a flexible substrate; and   an antenna element coupled to the flexible substrate at least at two attachment points, wherein the antenna element comprises a weave mesh of electrically conductive wires, wherein the weave mesh is flexible and elongate, wherein the antenna element is operable to expand and contract between the attachment points, and wherein the combination of the substrate and antenna element is operable to flex in three dimensions.   
     
     
         14 . The array of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna element comprises an insulator encircled by the weave mesh, and wherein the insulator is elongate and elastic. 
     
     
         15 . The array of  claim 13 , wherein the weave mesh comprises at least one bulge that is operable to stretch and contract. 
     
     
         16 . The array of  claim 13 , further comprising a second antenna element coupled to the flexible substrate, wherein the second antenna element comprises a second weave mesh of electrically conductive wires, wherein the second weave mesh is flexible and elongate. 
     
     
         17 . The array of  claim 16 , further comprising circuitry that is electrically coupled to each of the antenna elements for maintaining tuning and isolation between the antenna elements when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions. 
     
     
         18 . The array of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna element maintains a desired resonance when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions. 
     
     
         19 . A magnetic resonance imaging antenna array for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals from a patient, comprising:
 a flexible substrate; and   a plurality of antenna elements each coupled to the flexible substrate at least at two attachment points, wherein each of the antenna elements comprises a plurality of electrically conductive wires woven together to form a flexible elongate cylinder such that each of the antenna elements is operable to expand and contract between the attachment points, and wherein the combination of the substrate and antenna elements is operable to flex in three dimensions.   
     
     
         20 . The array of  claim 19 , further comprising circuitry that is electrically coupled to each of the antenna elements for maintaining tuning and isolation between the antenna elements when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions, and wherein each of the antenna elements maintains a desired resonance when the substrate is distorted in three dimensions.

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