Magnetics Business & Technology - November/December 2019 - 14

FEATURE ARTICLE

GE's Flexible Coils Receiving Favorable User Reviews in MRI Procedures
weight and flexible design makes it easier for the technologist
to position the coil on the patient. The conductor material was
designed to allow each coil element to be closer to the patient's
anatomy for improved signal reception, depth of penetration and
image quality.

GE Healthcare is reporting favorable reviews for its new flexible magnetic resonance imaging coils which can dramatically
change the way many diagnostic imaging procedures are conducted on patients.
For many patients, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
can trigger feelings of discomfort, anxiety and sometimes fear.
Now a new kind of coil technology is changing the game on this
experience, while helping radiologists get clear images for confident diagnoses.
During a scan, technologists use a radio frequency coil to capture and listen to the electro-magnetic waves coming from the
part of the body radiologists are imaging. The coil acts like an
antenna picking up signals from a patient's body and converting
them to images. In MRI equipment, RF coils are the receivers,
and sometimes also the transmitters, of radio frequency signals,
typically consisting of two electromagnetic coils, the transmitter
and receiver, which generate the field and receive the resulting
signal.

But they're usually bulky, heavy and uncomfortable for patients
and medical technologists alike. GE's new AIR Technology Coils
are designed to conform to the human body like a blanket would.
It uses innovative conductor material designed for ultra-flexibility.
Each coil is lightweight and flexible to closely wrap around patients yet can yield incredibly detailed images.
Its 48-channel head coil is designed to fit 99.9 percent of patients, from preemies to professional linebacker. Its ultra-light-

Two separate but simultaneous research projects were required
to develop the innovative technologies at the heart of AIR
Technology, says GE. Together, they consolidate the functionality of the coil for efficiency. This simplified design is the basis
for a revolutionary coil that is lighter, offers more flexibility and
provides greater coverage.
Developing a light, flexible loop is one thing, but finding a way to
control loop-to-loop interactions was no small feat of engineering.
Because of the low profile and performance of the E-mode electronics module, GE was able to place it right at the base of each
loop where it can better control the surrounding magnetic and
electric fields. This enabled breaking free from critical overlap
restrictions and arranging elements closer together.

A core element to the new form-fitting coil design was creating a
conductor loop with great flexibility. Sometimes the right material can be the linchpin to a breakthrough innovation, says the
company. For AIR Technology, it was the conductor material for
the loop. Lightweight and bendable, this series of linked resonators replaces what used to be rigid circuit boards and lumped
components.

Magnetics Business & Technology * November/December 2019

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Magnetics Business & Technology - November/December 2019

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