Patent ID: 7109713

Claim:
An RF coil unit used in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus which receives magnetic resonance signals generated from a common imaged volume of an object to be examined which is placed in a static magnetic field and generates a magnetic resonance image, said RF coil unit comprising: a first unit including a plurality of surface coils which are arrayed, with at least two of said plurality of surface coils disposed along each of a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second unit which is spaced apart from and arranged symmetrically opposite to the first unit in said third direction which is perpendicular to both of the first and second directions, said second unit also including a plurality of at least two surface coils arranged in each of the first and second directions defined by the first unit whereby there are at least two surface coils of the first unit and the second unit located in each of the first, second, and third directions, that each receive magnetic resonance signals from the common imaged volume of the object to be examined; and a strap configured to fasten said first unit and said second unit of the RF coil unit together about the object to be examined.