A cryogen-free open superconducting magnet for interventional MRI applications

Author

Laskaris, E.T. ; Ackermann, R. ; Dorri, B. ; Gross, D. ; Herd, K. ; Minas, C.

Author_Institution

Gen. Electr. Corp. Res. & Dev. Center, Schenectady, NY, USA

Volume

5

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

163

Lastpage

168

Abstract

A 0.5 T cryogen-free superconducting magnet with an open geometry has been designed for use in MRI-guided minimally invasive surgery and other interventional procedures. The magnet consists of a split pair of coils to allow surgeons direct access to the patient within the field-of-view of the imaging system. The magnet is wound using Nb/sub 3/Sn tape conductor and is maintained at approximately 10 K using a pair of Gifford-McMahon refrigerators. High-Tc superconducting current leads have been used in order to minimize the heat leak to the magnet. A passive quench protection system was developed for this unique magnet geometry. High quality MR images have been produced and used for interventional procedures. Descriptions of the design, fabrication, and test results of the magnet are presented.<>

Keywords

biomedical NMR; biomedical equipment; niobium alloys; quenching (thermal); refrigeration; refrigerators; superconducting coils; superconducting magnets; superconducting tapes; surgery; tin alloys; 0.5 T; 10 K; Gifford-McMahon refrigerators; Nb/sub 3/Sn; Nb/sub 3/Sn tape conductor; cryogen-free open superconducting magnet; heat leak minimisation; high-Tc superconducting current leads; imaging system; interventional MRI; minimally invasive surgery; passive quench protection system; split coils; Conductors; Geometry; Magnetic resonance imaging; Minimally invasive surgery; Niobium; Refrigerators; Superconducting coils; Superconducting magnets; Tin; Wounds;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.402515

Filename

402515