1. A coil system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), said coil system comprising:
a local volume coil configured to transmit and receive MRI signals; and
an array of surface coils configured to receive MRI signals.
2. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the local volume coil is configured to receive prescan calibration information.
3. A coil system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the prescan calibration information comprises at least one of autoshim information, fast transmit gain (TG) information and reference image information.
4. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the array of surface coils is configured to receive at least one of receiver calibration information and MRI image information.
5. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the local volume coil comprises a birdcage coil.
6. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the array of surface coils is positioned within the local volume coil.
7. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of receive channels configured to receive prescan calibration information from the local volume coil.
8. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one switch configured to switch between a scan mode of operation and a calibration mode of operation.
9. A coil system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the at least one switch is configured to provide dynamic switching between the modes of operation.
10. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the local volume coil is configured to be positioned adjacent to a portion of an object on which magnetic resonance imaging is to be performed.
11. A coil system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the coil elements of the local volume coil correspond to coils elements of the array of surface coils.
12. A control system for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, said control system comprising:
a first switching member configured to control transmit and receive operations of a local volume coil and an array of surface coils of the MRI system during a scan mode of operation; and
a second switching member configured to switch between the scan mode of operation and a calibration mode of operation.
13. A control system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the MRI system performs prescan calibration operations in the calibration mode of operation and the local volume coil receives prescan calibration information in the calibration mode of operation.
14. A control system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the prescan calibration information comprises at least one of autoshim information, fast transmit gain (TG) information and reference image information.
15. A control system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the local volume coil is configured to transmit and receive in the calibration mode of operation.
16. A control system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the local volume coil is configured to transmit and the array of surface coils is configured to receive in the scan mode of operation.
17. A control system in accordance with claim 12 further comprising a plurality of receive channels each corresponding to at least one of the coil elements of the array of surface coils.
18. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
a surface coil array;
a local volume coil; and
a controller configured to control operation of the surface coil array and local volume coil in each of a calibration mode and scan mode, wherein the controller provides (i) in the calibration mode for both transmitting and receiving by the local volume coil to acquire calibration information and (ii) in the scan mode for transmitting by the local volume coil and receiving by the surface coil array to acquire images of an object.
19. An MRI system in accordance with claim 18 wherein the calibration information comprises at least one of autoshim information, fast transmit gain (TG) information and reference image information.
20. A method for controlling coils in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, said method comprising:
providing a local volume coil and an array of surface coils;
configuring the local volume coil to transmit and receive in a calibration mode of operation; and
configuring the local volume coil to transmit and the array of surface coils to receive during a scan mode of operation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
I claim:
1. A locking mechanism for a pair of inner and outer telescoping members comprising a collar member having a longitudinally extending opening therein permitting the receipt of said collar member on said outer telescoping member and having an aperture therethrough intersecting said longitudinally extending opening, and a trigger member substantially encircling said outer telescoping member and having an opening therethrough permitting the receipt of said trigger member on said collar member and having a locking pin therein, said locking pin being received through said aperture in said collar member and into said inner and outer telescoping members to lockingly engage said inner and outer telescoping members together.
2. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein a portion of the surface defining said opening in said trigger member grippingly engages the surface defining said collar member and the remaining portion of the surface defining said opening in said trigger member is in a spaced apart relationship with the remaining portion of the surface defining said collar member allowing lateral movement of said trigger member with respect to said collar member.
3. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein outwardly directed lateral movement of said trigger member with respect to said collar member causes said locking pin to be retracted within said aperture in said collar member releasing said inner and outer telescoping members from locking engagement permitting relative movement between said inner and outer telescoping members.
4. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said trigger member is comprised of a first trigger member portion and a second trigger member portion joined together in an interlocking relationship.
5. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion is substantially circular in cross-section and grippingly engages said collar member.
6. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said locking pin is operatively attached to said first trigger member portion and is directed radially inwardly thereof.
7. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has a tab portion provided adjacent each end thereof.
8. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 7 wherein said first trigger member portion has an elongated slot provided in each of said tab portions.
9. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has at least one recess provided adjacent each end thereof.
10. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has a tab portion provided on each end thereof and a recess provided adjacent to and on either side of said tab.
11. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 10 wherein said first trigger member portion has an elongated slot provided in each of said tab portions.
12. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said second trigger member portion is substantially U-shaped in configuration causing a portion of the inner surface thereof to be in a spaced-apart relationship with a portion of the surface defining said collar member.
13. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said second trigger member portion has at least one projection provided adjacent each end thereof.
14. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said second trigger member portion has an inwardly directed elongated lip provided on the inner surface thereof and adjacent each end thereof.
15. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has a tab portion provided adjacent each end thereof, said tab portion having an elongated slot therein, and said second trigger member portion has an inwardly directed elongated lip provided on the inner surface thereof and adjacent each end thereof, each of said inwardly directed elongated lips on said second trigger member being received within said elongated slot in said tab portion of said first trigger member portion when said first and second trigger member portions are in an interlocking relationship.
16. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has at least one recess provided adjacent each end thereof and said second trigger member portion has at least one projection provided adjacent each end thereof, said at least one projection on said second trigger member portion being received within said at least one recess on said first trigger member portion when said first and second trigger member portions are in an interlocking relationship.
17. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said first trigger member portion has a tab portion provided adjacent each end thereof and at least one recess provided adjacent each said tab portion, said tab portion having an elongated slot therein, and said second trigger member portion has at least one projection provided adjacent each end thereof and an inwardly directed elongated lip provided on the inner surface thereof and adjacent each end thereof, said at least one projection on said second trigger member portion being received within said at least one recess on said first trigger member portion and each of said inwardly directed elongated lips on said second trigger member portion being received within said elongated slot in said tab portion of said first trigger member portion when said first and second trigger member portion are in an interlocking relationship.
18. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said collar member is attached to the end of said outer telescoping member.
19. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said trigger member is comprised of an inner member portion and an outer member portion which are joined together over a portion of their respective peripheries.
20. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 19 wherein said inner member portion is substantially circular in cross-section and grippingly engages said collar member.
21. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 19 wherein said locking pin is operatively attached to said inner member portion and is directed radially inwardly thereof.
22. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer member portion is substantially oval in configuration causing a portion of the inner surface thereof to be in a spaced-apart relationship with a portion of the surface defining said collar member.
23. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer member portion substantially surrounds said inner member portion.
24. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 23 further including a slot interposed between said inner member portion and said outer member portion permitting lateral movement of said inner member portion with respect to said collar member allowing said locking pin to be retracted within said aperture in said collar member releasing said inner and outer telescoping members from locking engagement allowing relative movement between said inner and outer telescoping members.
25. The locking mechanism as defined in claim 24 wherein said slot is substantially U-shaped in configuration.