Mri Devices Corporation: Technical Report
Mri Devices Corporation: Technical Report
Mri Devices Corporation: Technical Report
Technical Report
REPORT #: TR0001S
PARENT PART:
SCOPE: This is a service manual for the Phased Array Neurovascular Coil for 1.5T,
E8800L and 1.0T, E8800LA.
ALL SHEETS OF THIS DOCUMENT CONTAIN PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OF MRI DEVICES CORPORATION AND ARE INTENDED FOR
EXCLUSIVE USE BY CURRENT MRI DEVICES CORPORATION PERSONNEL. COPYING, DISCLOSURE TO OTHERS, OR OTHER USE IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE
EXPRESS WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION OF MRI DEVICES CORPORATION.
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
REVISION HISTORY
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
2
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
I. Scope
This is a service manual for the Phased Array Neurovascular Coil for 1.5T and 1.0T.
The Phased Array Neurovascular coil consists of a top and bottom piece which must be securely
fastened together for safe effective operation. The coil utilizes four channels of the multi-coil
system. The head channel on S6 is a quadrature saddle coil which uses the combiner labeled (1).
The neck coverage comes from three channels, one for the anterior neck and the other two for the
posterior neck. The coils are tuned/matched and decoupled through the circuits labeled (2).
Decoupling is actively controlled using the system bias current and trap circuits which produce
high impedance in the coil loops when PIN diodes are forward biased. If bias current is not
available due to a system failure, the traps will be activated passively by the RF power during
transmission. These trap circuits ensure safe artifact free operation. Phase shift circuits (labeled
(3)) are employed to improve inductive isolation using the system preamplifier impedance
mismatch. Item 4 is the system interface which defines the pins associated with each coil channel.
The configurations below are for programming soft keys for the HNC Neurovascular Array Coil
on the plasma display console. The selections are NVHEAD and NVARRAY.
1. If not already in C Shell window touch [UTILITIES] then [C Shell] at operator’s console to
open up a tty window.
2. Touch the Touch Screen in the window to get input control, then perform the following in the
window.
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
3
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
COIL CONFIG
Add A New Coil!
The computer will query you for the fourteen values that must be supplied to add a new coil to
the CoilConfig.cfg file. Then, you will be asked whether or not to actually update the files. Enter
^c (control c) at any time to exit the program and cancel. Entering a blank line for a value gets
you help information.
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
4
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
5
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
Signa software of release 5.4 and below does not currently support AUTOSHIM for a coil with
more than 2 channels. The operator may circumvent this restriction by autoshimming using the
BODY COIL selection after having prescribed the proper offsets and FOV for the patient. Once
AUTOSHIM has been completed, continue the same patient study now selecting the NVARRAY
coil selection.
Signa software of release 5.5 and newer supports the AUTOSHIM feature using a 4 channel coil
by defaulting to the body coil for shimming. Once the operator has prescribed the proper offsets
and FOV for the patient, AUTOSHIM using the NVARRAY coil selection, and proceed with
the scan.
General tests: Be sure that you choose the correct coil, and activate the desired coils from the
menu selection on the surface coil screen. The coil chosen must be NVARRAY.
Position the Array Coil at the head end of the patient cradle. Place the 16 cm diameter head
phantom in the head portion of the HNC coil. Activate the NVARRAY coil from the soft key on
your operator's console.
Scan using Auto Pre-scan. If Auto Pre-scan does not complete successfully, do not use the coil
clinically. Upon completion of pre-scan, execute the scan. Window the scan as you normally
would (window levels vary from system to system depending upon your hardware revision level).
The scan should appear uniform.
If the image has signal voids, distortions, or black streaks, discontinue use of the coil. If the image
is excessively noisy, repeat the scan using the GE 5 inch general purpose coil for 1.5T or
alternate coil for 1.0T supplied with your system. If the 5 inch coil image or alternate coil image
exhibits similar artifacts, the problem likely lies with the MRI system.
Reverse Polarity check: If the polarity on the system is uncertain, then use the following
procedure to test coil operation. Position the Array Coil at the head end of the patient cradle.
Place the 16 cm diameter head phantom in the head portion of the HNC coil. Activate the
NVHEAD coil from the soft key on your operator's console. Choose a sequence used for SNR
preventative maintenance with the GE Head coil, if possible.
Scan using Auto Pre-scan. If Auto Pre-scan does not complete successfully, due to low signal,
manual pre-scan. A reverse polarity system would cause the SNR to be substantially lower than
(less than 75%) the same sequence using the GE Head Coil. If this is observed the coil should be
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
6
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
A digital multimeter can be used to measure the PIN diode drop in each of the four elements. A
single PIN diode drop of ~0.7 volts should be seen according to the block diagram at each of the
inputs for S3, S4, and S5. The positive lead should go to the signal pins, S3-S6, and the negative
lead should go to any of the ground pins, GND. Reversing the leads should read ~2.4 volts. For
S6, which drives two loops, the typical forward drop is ~0.6 volts, while the reverse measurement
is ~1.9 volts. If either reading is a short circuit, the diode(s) or the cable is shorted and a
replacement cable should be used to retest the coil. If forwarding biasing the diode results in an
open circuit or voltage over 1 volt, the diode(s) or cable is open and the coil must be replaced.
The scanner will typically detect open and shorted channels and display a scan error.
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
7
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
Block Diagram:
1 Combiner
4 Coax Cables 3
S5
Lower Neck 2 2 3
System
4 Pin
Row 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Bendix
(1.0T) Connector
A S3 GND S4 GND S5 GND S6 GND
3
B
Connector
S6
2 1
R/L Saddle 2 U/L Saddle
Coil
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.
8
TR0001S: Rev 1.1
© MRI Devices Corporation, 1998, proprietary and confidential information, refer to front page.