Patent ID: 7336076
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: a magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field containing a uniform region whose magnetic intensity is uniform; a couch movable in a longitudinal direction passing through the static magnetic field, an object to be imaged disposed on the couch; a reception multiple RF coil including a plurality of coil members positioned around the object; an identification generating unit configured to generate an identification number of each coil member, the identification generating unit being disposed at each of the plurality of coil members, a size memorizing unit configured to memorize a size of each of the plurality of coil members in the longitudinal direction, the size corresponding to the identification number of each coil member generated by the identification generating unit, a disposal detecting unit configured to identify each signal line of the plurality of coil members to detect a disposal state of the plurality of coil members in the longitudinal direction; a determination unit configured to determine the size of each coil by referencing detection information about the coil disposal state detected by the disposal detecting unit to the size memorizing unit; a position changing unit configured to change a relative position of the couch with respect to the magnet in the longitudinal direction in accordance with both of a length of each of the plurality of coil members in the longitudinal direction and the size determined by the determination unit when the object is being imaged; a scanning unit configured to scan the object by applying a given train of pulses to the object at different positions determined by the position changing unit; a reception unit configured to receive through the multiple RF coil an echo signal in response to the train of pulses applied by the scanning unit; a reception-processing unit comprising a selection element configured to automatically select, from the echo signal received by each of the plurality of coil members, an echo signal received by the coil member located at a center of the uniform region in the longitudinal direction based on both the size determined by the determination unit and the coil disposal state detected by the disposal detecting unit, and a processing element configured to process the selected echo signal into echo data; and an image producing unit configured to produce an MR image based on the echo data from the reception-processing unit.