Patent ID: 7970452

Claim:
An apparatus for positioning and immobilizing an anatomy of interest of a patient and supporting the patient for MR imaging using an MRI scanner, the apparatus comprising: a patient support structure configured to position the anatomy of interest of the patient during MR imaging, the patient support structure including a contoured upper surface for supporting the patient comfortably; a first and a second compression plate; a mounting having a locking mechanism, movably engaged to one of the compression plates for receiving and holding a RF coil, the mounting movable to adjust the position of the RF coil relative to the one of the compression plates engaged thereon and the locking mechanism for locking the RF coil in a fixed position on the one of the compression plates when in a locked position; at least one attachment member for attaching the first and the second compression plates to the patient support structure, the at least one attachment member being configured to allow a user to adjust the position of the first and the second compression plates relative to each other to immobilize the anatomy of interest such that when in use the sensitive volume of the RF coil includes the anatomy of interest; a receptacle coupled to at least one of the patient support structure and the one of the compression plates, for receiving RF signals from the RF coil while the anatomy of interest remains immobilized by the first and the second compression plates; a secondary support structure housing a second RF coil, the secondary support structure when engaged with the patient support structure supports at least a portion of the weight of the patient; and an MRI connector engaged with the patient support structure and connected to the RF coil through the receptacle and connected to the second RF coil, the MRI connector for communication with a complementary connector on the MRI scanner for data acquisition by the MRI scanner of RF signals from at least one of the RF coil and the second RF coil for MRI imaging.