Equivalent circuit for coil-patient interactions in magnetic resonance imaging.

An equivalent circuit is presented which accurately models the performance of magnetic resonance imaging receiver coils used with conducting samples. Coil-sample interaction is determined by measuring either the complex impedance or the associated resonant frequency and quality factor when samples of different conductivity are placed in the coil. The equivalent circuit component values are obtained from these data using a global nonlinear least squares fit. This equivalent circuit contains a minimum number of components necessary for understanding and quantifying the detuning and losses caused by electric and magnetic field coupling with the sample.