GRADIENT COIL INSERT FOR AN MRI SYSTEM DRIVEN AT AN ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY

An echo planar spectroscopic imaging system comprising an MRI system arrangement having an acquisition section for acquiring magnetic resonance data and a reconstruction section for reconstructing images and spectroscopic information from acquired magnetic resonance data, the acquisition section comprising an RF transmission arrangement arranged to output single- or multi-band RF pulses; a first gradient coil arranged to be driven at an ultrasonic frequency for creating a spatially varying magnetic field along a first respective axis and a second gradient coil arranged to be driven at an ultrasonic frequency for creating a spatially varying magnetic field along a second respective axis; and a signal generator arrangement for electrically driving the first gradient coil at a first selected ultrasonic frequency and driving the second gradient coil at second selected ultrasonic frequency, wherein the signal generator arrangement is configured, as part of acquiring the magnetic resonance data, to apply, during a readout period, a plurality of chirp pulses to the first gradient coil and to apply a plurality of chirp pulses to the second gradient coil so as to achieve spectral encoding and spatial encoding on the first and second respective axes; and the acquisition section is arranged to readout magnetic resonance data during said readout period and the reconstruction section is arranged to reconstruct an image and spectral information relating to the image from the magnetic resonance data readout during said readout period.