A method for ascertaining at least one of a position or an orientation of an MR local coil unit for arrangement inside a main magnetic field includes providing a first 3D relative position of a reference sensor system in relation to the main magnetic field; receiving an acceleration vector from at least one acceleration sensor; retrieving a distance vector describing a fixed relative position as a function of the received acceleration vector; calculating a second 3D relative position of the at least one acceleration sensor in relation to the main magnetic field based on the first 3D relative position and the retrieved distance vector; and ascertaining the at least one of the position or the orientation of the MR local coil unit using the first 3D relative position and the second 3D relative position.

A double-resonant coil includes a closed conductor loop divided into at least two segments that are each connected via a second connection element configured to be converted from an electrically conductive state to an electrically insulating state. The double-resonant coil further includes an inductor or a capacitor connected in series to a first connection element so as to allow excitation of the closed conductor loop in a dipole mode at one frequency and with a homogeneous power distribution at a second frequency.

The invention also refers to a flexible coil element for a flexible coil array, for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The invention also refers to a flexible coil array, for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, for indicating a loading state of a flexible coil element being positioned on at least one inductive element. The invention also refers to a method for indicating a loading state of a flexible coil element being positioned on at least one inductive element. The flexible coil element is comprised by a flexible coil array, wherein the flexible coil array comprises at least one flexible coil element. Furthermore, the invention refers to a software package comprising instructions for carrying out the method steps.

One or more example embodiments relates to a method for supporting an MRT examination of a patient via a coil placed on the patient. One or more example embodiments also relates to apparatus, a control facility for an MRT system and also an MRT system.

A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a transmit radio frequency (RF) coil assembly comprising multiple capacitor banks each coupled to at least one diode that is characterized by a high breakdown voltage such that when the transmit RF coil assembly applies at least one slice-selecting RF pulse to a portion of a subject placed in the magnet to select a particular slice for MR imaging, the capacitor banks are selectively adjusted to improve an RF transmission characteristics of the RF coil assembly in transmitting the at least one slice-selecting RF pulse. The MR imaging system may further include a receive radio frequency (RF) coil assembly configured to, in response to at least the slice-selecting RF pulse, receive at least one response radio frequency (RF) pulse emitted from the selected slice of the portion of the subject; a housing; a main magnet; gradient coils; and a control unit.

A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a transmit radio frequency (RF) coil assembly comprising multiple capacitor banks each coupled to at least one diode that is characterized by a high breakdown voltage such that when the transmit RF coil assembly applies at least one slice-selecting RF pulse to a portion of a subject placed in the magnet to select a particular slice for MR imaging, the capacitor banks are selectively adjusted to improve an RF transmission characteristics of the RF coil assembly in transmitting the at least one slice-selecting RF pulse. The MR imaging system may further include a receive radio frequency (RF) coil assembly configured to, in response to at least the slice-selecting RF pulse, receive at least one response radio frequency (RF) pulse emitted from the selected slice of the portion of the subject; a housing; a main magnet; gradient coils; and a control unit.

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 magnet assembly for a portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a former having a plurality of slots and a plurality of magnet blocks configured to create a single-sided permanent magnet. Each of the plurality of magnet blocks are positioned in one of the plurality of slots of the former. The arrangement of the plurality of magnet blocks is configured to optimize homogeneity over a target field of view for brain imaging and to form a cap-shaped configuration to be positioned on a head of a subject.

A method for performing magnetic resonance imaging is provided. The method includes providing a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: a radio frequency receive system comprising a radio frequency receive coil, and a housing, wherein the housing comprises a permanent magnet for providing an inhomogeneous permanent gradient field, a radio frequency transmit system, and a single-sided gradient coil set. The method also includes placing the receive coil proximate a target subject; applying a sequence of chirped pulses via the transmit system; applying a multi-slice excitation along the inhomogeneous permanent gradient field; applying a plurality of gradient pulses via the gradient coil set orthogonal to the inhomogeneous permanent gradient field; acquiring a signal of the target subject via the receive system, wherein the signal comprises at least two chirped pulses; and forming a magnetic resonance image of the target subject.

Systems and methods for MR signal synchronization may be provided. The method may include determining a time difference in a local clock generator at a coil side assembly compared to a system clock generator at a system side assembly. The method may include maintaining a constant phase difference between clock signals generated by the local clock generator and by the system clock generator by correcting the local clock generator based on the time difference. The method may include acquiring MR echo signals by scanning at least a part of a subject in response to the clock signal generated by the corrected local clock generator. The method may further include digitizing the MR echo signal at the coil side assembly.