An MR system features an intracavity probe and associated interface
device. The probe includes a shaft, a balloon at one end thereof, and a
coil loop within the balloon. The loop has two drive capacitors and a
tuning capacitor, all of which in series. A junction node between the
drive capacitors serves as a ground for electrically balancing the loop.
Diametrically opposite the node, the tuning capacitor enables the loop to
resonate at the operating frequency of the MR system. The interface
allows the MR system to couple the loop to a port of the MR system during
a receive cycle thereof and decouple it from the port during a transmit
cycle thereof. With its balloon inserted and inflated within a cavity of
a patient, the probe allows the MR system to generate images and/or
spectra of the region of interest using the MR signals received by the
loop.