Patent ID: 8664955
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: A61B,G01R,G01V

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) of a volume of animal tissue in vivo, the apparatus comprising: a set of RF transmit coils; and a set of RF receive coils, wherein the set of transmit coils generates an excitation RF magnetic field in the volume of animal tissue in response to an applied electrical signal, and the set of receive coils generates a sensed electrical signal in response to a sensed RF magnetization in the volume of animal tissue; wherein the set of transmit coils and the set of receive coils are oriented relative to one another such that the sensed magnetization has a reduced component directly due to the excitation magnetic field; wherein the set of receive coils is configured to detect electron paramagnetic resonance signals in the volume of animal tissue; wherein the set of RF transmit coils includes a first transmit loop and a second transmit loop, wherein the first transmit loop is positioned on a first surface having a first surface normal vector at a generally center location on the first surface within a periphery of the first transmit loop, wherein the second transmit loop is positioned on a second surface having a second surface normal vector at a center location on the second surface within a periphery of the second transmit loop, and wherein the first surface normal vector and the second surface normal vector define a first plane; wherein the set of RF receive coils includes a first receive loop and a second receive loop, wherein the first receive loop is positioned on a third surface having a third surface normal vector at a center location on the third surface within a periphery of the first receive loop, wherein the second receive loop is positioned on a fourth surface having a fourth surface normal vector at a center location on the fourth surface within a periphery of the second receive loop, and wherein the third surface normal vector and the fourth surface normal vector define a second plane; and wherein the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane, and a line defined by the intersection of the first plane and the second plane forms an acute angle to the first normal vector, forms an acute angle to the second normal vector, forms an acute angle to the third normal vector, and forms an acute angle to the fourth normal vector.