Apparatus for use in neonatal magnetic resonance imaging

• US 20020173717A1
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rohling, Kenneth William, Rossi, Charles John Jr., Dumoulin, Charles Lucian, Watkins, Ronald Dean, Giaquinto, Randy Otto John, Piel, Joseph Edward Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,611,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/415
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/704 Tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/30 Sample handling arrangements, e.g. sample cells, spinning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34076 Birdcage coils

Abstract

An incubator arrangement and radiofrequency (RF) coil are provided for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. The incubator arrangement comprises an enclosure adapted to support a subject in a magnet of the MRI system during imaging and a radiofrequency coil disposed within the enclosure. The RF coil is adapted to provide visual and physical access to the subject, and further adapted to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.

Claims

1. an incubator arrangement for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:

an enclosure adapted to support a subject in a magnet of the MRI system during imaging;

a support table coupled to said enclosure and attaching said enclosure thereon, said support table being adapted to connect to the MRI system and further adapted to translate said enclosure along a displacement axis of the MRI system; and

,

a radiofrequency (RF) coil disposed within the enclosure, said RF coil being adapted to provide visual and physical access to the subject, and further adapted to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.

2. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 wherein said RF coil comprises:

a pair of end ring conductors opposed to one another in a spaced-apart relationship; and

,

a plurality of rungs joining said pair of end ring conductors in said spaced apart relationship, the rungs being disposed equally spaced about the end ring conductors and said rungs are configured to be recessed inward from an outer diameter defined by the respective end ring conductors.

3. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 further comprising at least one of environmental controls, a power source, physiological monitoring devices and a visual monitoring device.

4. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 wherein said subject is an infant.

5. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 wherein an inner diameter is defined by said plurality of recessed rungs, said inner diameter adapted to receive said subject.

6. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 further comprising life support mechanisms attached to said subject during imaging.

7. The incubator arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a base and a plurality of wheels coupled to said base to transport said arrangement.

8. A radiofrequency (RF) coil for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system comprising:

a pair of end ring conductors opposed to one another in a spaced-apart relationship; and

,

a plurality of rungs joining said pair of end ring conductors in said spaced apart relationship, the rungs being disposed equally spaced about the end ring conductors and said rungs are configured to be recessed inward from an outer diameter defined by the respective end ring conductors.

9. The RF coil of claim 8 wherein said plurality of rungs are each configured to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.

10. The RF coil of claim 8 wherein said outer diameter is selected to enable placing said RF coil in an enclosure of an incubator arrangement and wherein said respective recessed rungs form an inner diameter selected to receive an infant.

11. A radiofrequency (RF) coil for use in a neonatal imaging using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system comprising:

a pair of end ring conductors opposed to one another in a spaced-apart relationship;

a plurality of rungs joining said pair of end ring conductors in said spaced apart relationship, the rungs being disposed equally spaced about the end ring conductors and said rungs are configured to be recessed inward from an outer diameter defined by the respective end ring conductors, wherein said outer diameter is selected to enable placing said RF coil in an enclosure of an incubator arrangement and wherein said respective recessed rungs form an inner diameter and said spaced-apart distance are selected so that said RF coil is adapted to receive an infant for imaging.

12. The RF coil of claim 11 wherein said plurality of rungs are each configured to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.

14. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 wherein said RF coil comprises:

a pair of end ring conductors opposed to one another in a spaced-apart relationship;

a plurality of rungs joining said pair of end ring conductors in said spaced apart relationship, the rungs being disposed equally spaced about the end ring conductors and said rungs are configured to be recessed inward from an outer diameter defined by the respective end ring conductors.

15. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 further comprising at least one of environmental controls, a power source, physiological monitoring devices and a visual monitoring device.

16. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of wheels coupled to said base to transport said arrangement.

17. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 wherein said enclosure further comprises sliding access panels to provide physical access to said infant.

18. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 wherein said enclosure is constructed of transparent material selected for acoustic and thermal insulation.

19. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 further comprising a cable take up assembly adapted to store and permit tensioned movement of at least one cable that feeds from said enclosure to at least one of external visual and environment controls.

20. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 further comprising a heater tube assembly adapted to transfer temperature controlled air from a heater to said enclosure, said heater tube assembly comprising a plurality of tubes adapted to cooperate to extend and retract as said enclosure is translated along the displacement axis into the magnet of the MRI system.

21. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 wherein said base is further configured for attenuation of RF emissions.

22. The incubator arrangement of claim 21 wherein said base further comprises a plurality of copper lined chambers and a plurality of filtering capacitors coupling leads into and out of said chambers to said copper.

23. The incubator arrangement of claim 13 further comprising a transfer table coupled to said support table and adapted to transfer said infant onto said incubator arrangement.

13. An incubator arrangement for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system:

a base;

a support table attached to said base and moveable thereon, said support table adapted to move to be disposed within an imaging space of said MRI system;

a subject support unit attached to said support table and moveable thereon, said subject support unit being adapted to support an infant;

an enclosure attached to said support table and adapted for receiving said infant on said subject support unit, said enclosure being adapted to maintain a selected environment and being further adapted to permit a coupling of a plurality of life support mechanisms to said infant, said enclosure further adapted to provide visual access to said subject; and

,

a radiofrequency (RF) coil disposed within said enclosure and adapted to receive at least a portion of said infant, said RF coil being adapted to provide visual and physical access to said infant, and being further adapted to obtain a selected signal to noise ratio.