Animal Cradle mounted RF Coils
Receive-only RF coils of cross coil configurations or small volume coils for mice and rats are typically mounted on the animal cradle. First the animal is prepared on the cradle and then the RF coil is mounted onto the cradle (1) or shifted over the animal (2). Finally, the entire setup is moved into the magnet bore from the user end (front end) of the MR instrument.
Animal cradle with studs to mount the RF coil (1) and mouse head coil shifted over the animal cradle (2) – typical examples of various setups.
Mounting instructions:
- 1.
- Prepare the animal cradle for the desired application by attaching the correct TIP to the base cradle.
- 2.
- For surface coils and surface arrays coils: Insert the RF coil from the service end and push it through the magnet. Connect the coil at the corresponding RF coil socket. Goto the user end and place the coil in the magnet front bore or on the preparation table.
- 3.
- Prepare the animal and the animal supervision. Take the animal cradle with the animal into the magnet room and connect it to the animal cradle interface of the positioning system.
- 4.
- Place the RF coil on the cradle and fix it with some tape, if required.
- 5.
- Move the animal and the RF coil carefully into the iso-center of the gradient system.