Patent ID: 7525311

Claim:
A radiofrequency receive coil system for a magnetic resonance imaging system, the coil system comprising: (a) a plurality of individual coils arrayed around outer limits of an imaging volume that is defined by a main magnet and a gradient coil, each individual coil of said plurality of individual coils having an initial position and a subsequent position in relation to a patient to be imaged; (b) a means for mechanically supporting said individual coils within said volume; (c) a means for calculating said subsequent position of said individual coils for clinical imaging; (d) a means for repositioning said individual coils from said initial position to said subsequent position; (e) a means for overriding said means for calculating said subsequent position and said means for repositioning said individual coils; and (f) a means for removing each individual coil of said plurality of individual coils from within said volume upon activation of said overriding means so as to allow the use of an individual radiofrequency receiver coil.