Flexible magnetoinductive ring MRI detector: Design for invariant nearest-neighbour coupling

A flexible birdcage-type resonant RF detector for magnetic resonance imaging is described. The circuit consists of a polygonal ring of magnetically coupled L–C resonators, a periodic structure supporting backward magnetoinductive waves. The elements are mechanically linked to allow relative rotation, and the pivot point is optimised to hold the nearest-neighbour coupling coefficient invariant to small changes in the angle of an undistorted joint. Simple theory based on a parallel wire approximation to rectangular inductors is developed to allow the variation of the coupling coefficient with angle and radius to be estimated, and hence determine the location of the pivot. The optimised pivot is shown to reduce resonance splitting in octagonal rings. However, second-neighbour interactions degrade performance. The theory is verified experimentally using printed circuit board elements coupled by flexible hinges, and the invariance of the nearest-neighbour coupling coefficient is confirmed. Octagonal ring resonators are constructed for operation at 63.8 MHz frequency and the mode spectra of regular and distorted rings are measured. Magnetic resonance imaging properties are investigated using 1H MRI of simple objects in a 1.5 T field. Images are obtained from undistorted and distorted resonators and the effect of distortion on SNR is quantified.