Patent ID: 8712706
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for shimming a magnetic field in which there is an inhomogeneity having more than one functional component, the magnetic field being produced by a magnet assembly having two opposed and mutually distanced assembly ends and an assembly axis, the method comprising: providing a plurality of commonly oriented shim paths, said shim paths disposed on a common surface having two opposed and mutually distanced ends, each of said surface ends having at least one associated electrical connector; applying a plurality of coordinately modulated single electronic shim currents along corresponding ones of the plurality of shim paths, each of said electronic shim currents entering said electrical connector at one said surface end, flowing from said electrical connector at said one said surface end to said electrical connector at the other said surface end, and exiting said electrical connector at the other said surface end; and; suppressing the more than one functional component of the inhomogeneity in the magnetic field using the plurality of electronic shim currents; wherein each of said surface ends is proximate a corresponding one of said assembly ends so that at least a portion of said shim currents flows from one said assembly end towards the other said assembly end.