Patent ID: 8560278
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for designing and constructing an electromagnetic gradient coil for magnetic resonance imaging systems, the method comprising the steps of: a) choosing a set of objectives L b) choosing a design variable ψ for modifying a magnitude of the objective function L; c) making an initial estimate of the value of the design variable ψ; d) simulating a magnetic field in a computational domain with respect to a distribution of surface current density using a least square finite element analysis; e) carrying out a sensitivity analysis by calculating a sensitivity vector G=∂L/∂ψ; f) updating the design variable ψ, wherein a value of the design variable ψ is changed in order to decrease the magnitude of the objective function; g) determining whether convergency is achieved by either determining whether the magnitude of the objective function does not decrease or whether the Euclidian norm of the sensitivity vector G is approximately zero; h) repeating a) to g) until convergency is achieved; i) determining, following steps a) to h), shapes and positions of discrete current paths in the designed gradient coil; and j) constructing, following steps a) to i), the gradient coil.