Method and apparatus for hardware coil compression is disclosed. The coils in an array configured for the same region of interest are grouped into sub-arrays. The coils of each sub-array are pre-combined with a hardware combiner before further processing. The pre-combination converter composed of the pre-combiners is flexible, i.e., applicable to for example non-cylindrical coils; simpler than direct implementation of the software compression algorithm; and commercially feasible.

An apparatus and method for receiving a magnetic resonance (MR) signal for imaging a patient. The MR signal includes a MR frequency. A radio frequency (RF) coil has first and second end portions. An impedance converter is in electrical communication with the RF coil. A preamplifier in electrical communication with the impedance converter, the preamplifier having a gain. At least one resonant circuit electrically connected to at least one end portion of the RF coil.

Methods and apparatus for determining at least one metabolic state of a subject using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) monitoring device. The NMR monitoring device comprises at least one magnet configured to generate a primary magnetic field, a transceiver coil arranged within the primary magnetic field, wherein the transceiver coil is configured to apply a time series of radiofrequency (RF) pulses to a portion of a subject located within the primary magnetic field and detect an NMR signal generated in response to application of the time series of RF pulses, and an NMR spectrometer communicatively coupled to the transceiver coil. The NMR spectrometer is configured to process the detected NMR signal to determine at least one metabolic state of the subject.

A scaling unit (1) for reception antennae (A1, A2, A3, A4) of a plurality of local coils (LS) of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (MRT) includes a plurality of signal inputs (in1, in2, in3, in4) configured for the reception of signals from the reception antennae (A1, A2, A3, A4), and a plurality of signal outputs (out1, out2, out3, out4) configured for the output of unaltered and/or altered signals from the reception antennae (A1, A2, A3, A4).

A transmission line array is used for explosive/contraband detection using nuclear quadrupole resonance in which the array is driven in-phase with synchrony frequency-swept signals. Each of the balanced transmission lines is fed with a low power swept frequency source and stimulated emissions are picked out with a directional coupler. Location is provided using a cross grid array or a phase detector is used for each balanced line, with phase determining the distance to the sensed substance.

A transmission apparatus for transmitting an intermediate frequency signal and an oscillator signal for mixing down the intermediate frequency signal, a magnetic resonance tomograph with a local coil, a receive unit, and a transmission apparatus are provided. The transmission apparatus has a symmetrical transmission line for transmission of the oscillator signal and the intermediate frequency signal and a symmetrizing element for adaptation of an unsymmetrical signal source and/or signal sink to the symmetrical transmission line. The symmetrizing element has only ferrite-free inductances. The local coil and the receive unit are connected for signaling purposes via the transmission apparatus.

A method and an apparatus for a magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. A type of further processing of signals transmitted by a local coil to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is determined in dependence on information received in or from the local coil about a local-coil type of the local coil.

An apparatus for measuring radio frequency output for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of directional couplers, a comparator, a switcher and a converter. The plurality of directional couplers are different in degree of coupling from each other, and attenuate an RF signal which is generated in an RF signal generator and amplified in an RF power amplifier. The comparator compares input-level information of a signal inputted into the RF power amplifier with a threshold value. The switcher switches to any one of the plurality of the directional couplers based on a result of the comparison so as to output an RF signal by the one directional coupler. The converter performs a digital conversion of the RF signal from the one directional coupler so as to output a digital signal.

A pilot tone device for acquiring physiological data of a patient and a magnetic resonance tomography system with a corresponding pilot tone device are provided. The pilot tone device has a pilot tone transmitter that is designed to transmit a pilot tone in an ISM band.

The present invention relates to an RF transmit system and method, MRI system and a pre-scan method and medium thereof. The RF transmit system comprises: an RF output unit, for generating and outputting an RF pulse signal; an RF amplifier, for amplifying the RF pulse signal; and a signal processing unit, for communicating the amplified RF pulse signal to an RF transmit coil of the MRI system and outputting a feedback signal to the RF output unit, wherein the RF output unit generates a linearity compensation control signal based on the feedback signal and a predetermined feedback signal-linearity compensation value-relationship, so as to carry out linearity compensation for the RF pulse signal outputted by the RF output unit. The RF transmit method corresponds to the above noted system and the MRI system comprises the above noted RF transmit system. The pre-scan method comprises the RF transmit method. Instructions recorded by the medium may execute the above noted RF transmit method and pre-scan method.