A flexible mercury-filled surface coil for MR imaging.

The use of surface coils in MR imaging allows for the possibility of obtaining images with increased signal-to-noise ratio and increased spatial resolution [1]. To obtain the maximum signal, the coil should be placed close to the region to be imaged. For rigid coils , a close fit may be difficult to obtain routinely and can lead to patient discomfort. We describe a technique for constructing flexible coils that use liquid mercury as the conductor. Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at ordinary room temperature, and as such permits the fabrication of highly flexible coils.