A fastening device for releasably fastening a probe (1) to an NMR magnet (2). An insert part (3) fastens the probe to a retaining system (4) connected to the magnet. A force-variable connection is established by the insert part with spring elements (8). The probe fastens to the insert part with rigid retaining elements (6). When closed, a connection without mechanical play exists between the insert part and the retaining elements when the spring elements are under tension. An annular disc-shaped pretensioning element (9) is arranged between the insert part and the retaining system. By rotating the pretensioning element relative to the insert part, the pretensioning element presses on and pretensions the spring elements. When open, the spring elements and the retaining elements are configured to connect with a mechanical play of 0.5 to 5 mm between the insert part and the retaining elements when the spring elements are pretensioned.

A radiofrequency transducer assembly includes an antenna structure of the birdcage type. This antenna structure has longitudinally extending segments, which are arranged in a cylindrical configuration around a center axis, and at least one transversally oriented circular electrical coupling between the longitudinally extending segments. An electrically conductive shield surrounds the antenna structure of the birdcage type. The radiofrequency transducer assembly comprises a pair of electrically conductive bridges between a longitudinally extending segment of the antenna structure and the electrically conductive shield, which thereby jointly form an inductive loop.

An upper coil assembly for use with a lower RF coil assembly mounted to provide an RF probe arranged to be engaged with a head of a patient in MRI includes a plurality of coil loops arranged in a row defining a phase shift coil array with each coil loop including an independent output conductor for communicating signals to a respective preamplifier for independent amplification and each coil loop including a plurality of capacitors at spaced positions therearound. To decouple the loops each coil loop partly overlaps a next coil loop with a first decoupling capacitor shared on a common portion of each coil loop and each next coil loop. The first and third coil loops are also decoupled by using third decoupling capacitor in a connecting conductor between the first and third coil loops.

An NMR magnet system uses a Stirling cooler having a cold head that extends into a housing of the system to cool a cold shield surrounding a cryogen vessel. The system may have a damper located between the cooler and the cold shield to reduce a transmission of vibration from the cooler to a magnet coil immersed in the cryogen. The damper may be passive, or may be part of an active damping system that uses an acceleration sensor to drive an active damper that compensates for cooler vibration. A compensation apparatus may use a stored characteristic of a signal distortion caused by the vibration and, in response to a trigger signal from the cooler, apply compensation to an excitation signal provided to a sample by an NMR probe in a bore of the magnet coil, or to an FID signal from the sample that is detected by the probe.

According to some aspects, a method of suppressing noise in an environment of a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The method comprising estimating a transfer function based on multiple calibration measurements obtained from the environment by at least one primary coil and at least one auxiliary sensor, respectively, estimating noise present in a magnetic resonance signal received by the at least one primary coil based at least in part on the transfer function, and suppressing noise in the magnetic resonance signal using the noise estimate.

A radio-frequency (RF) coil for use in a low-field magnetic resonance imaging system and methods of making the same are provided. The RF coil may include a conductor arranged on a substrate in an arrangement such that symmetry in the arrangement cancels at least a portion of a common mode voltage when a current is passed through the conductor. The RF coil may be included in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for imaging a patient having at least one B.sub.0 magnet for generating a B.sub.0 magnetic field.

A radiofrequency (RF) resonator array device for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRT), The RF resonator array device includes a substrate. An army of coupled split ring resonators are located on the substrate. Each of the coupled split ring resonators includes a first split ring resonator positioned on a first side of the substrate and a second split ring resonator positioned on a second side of the substrate located opposite the first side. The second split ring resonator is inductively coupled to the first split ring resonator. Methods of making and using the RF resonator device are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a single-sided magnetic imaging apparatus, comprising a permanent magnet, wherein a Z axis is defined through the permanent magnetic into a field of view. The single-sided magnetic imaging apparatus further comprises an electromagnet, a gradient coil set, a radio frequency transmission coil, a radio frequency reception coil, and a power source. The power source is configured to generate an electromagnetic field in the field of view along the Z axis. The electromagnetic field comprises a field gradient in the field of view, wherein a timing of the radio frequency transmission coil is configured to target a location within the field gradient in the field of view.

A radio frequency head coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The radio frequency head coil includes a body operative to be disposed on a head of a patient, and an extended lip disposed on the body and operative to receive a magnetic resonance signal. At least some of the magnetic resonance signal is emitted by a region of the patient disposed between a brain stem of the patient up to and including a vertebra of the patient.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil device is provided. The device includes a first receiver coil portion, a second receiver coil portion, and a locking mechanism. The second receiver coil portion is configured to fit with the first receiver coil portion to provide a receiver coil assembly. The second receiver coil portion is moveable relative to the first receiver coil portion. The locking mechanism is configured to limit relative movement between the first receiver coil portion and the second receiver coil portion when the first receiver coil portion and the second receiver coil portion are fit together.