Medical examination apparatus, notably a magnetic resonance examination apparatus

• US 20020179092A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Swennen, Nico Michel Maria, Evers, Matheus Jakobus Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/061,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179092A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/845
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• 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 33/283 Intercom or optical viewing arrangements, structurally associated with NMR apparatus

Abstract

A medical examination apparatus (1) that includes a receiving space (2) and a mobile support (4) for an organism to be examined, the organism and/or the support (4) being connectable, via one or more signal transmission leads, to an evaluation unit of the medical examination apparatus (1); the examination apparatus is constructed in such a manner that at least a part of the connection is formed so as to be of a wireless type.

Claims

1. A medical examination apparatus (1) that includes a receiving space (2) and a mobile support (4) for an organism to be examined, it being possible to connect the organism and/or the support (4) to an evaluation unit of the medical examination apparatus (1) via one or more signal transmission leads, characterized in that the connection is conceived to be at least partly wireless.

2. An examination apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wireless part of the connection is formed by an infrared transmission link (5, 6).

3. An examination apparatus as claimed in one of the claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the infrared transmission link (5, 6) includes at least one interface that is associated with the support (4) and one interface that is associated with the evaluation unit, at least the interface (5) that is situated at the side of the support being rigidly connected to the support (4).

4. An examination apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the interface (6) at the side of the apparatus and the interface (5) at the side of the support are both built in so as to be stationary and are retained so as to face one another when the support (4) is in the aligned position relative to the receiving space of the examination apparatus.

5. An examination apparatus as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that with the examination apparatus (1) there is associated a movable data lead that is connected to the examination apparatus at one end and is provided with an infrared interface (6) at its other end.

6. An examination apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the infrared interface (6) of the data lead at the side of the apparatus can be detachably connected to a mount of the support (4).

7. An examination apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the mount at the side of the support keeps the infrared interface (6) of the movable data lead at the side of the apparatus in a position that faces an infrared interface (5) at the side of the support.

8. A method of examining an organism in a medical examination apparatus, in which method the organism is arranged on a mobile support on which it is displaced relative to the examination apparatus, and in which a data transfer takes place between the organism and/or the support and the examination apparatus via a data lead, characterized in that prior to the introduction of the organism into the examination apparatus a partly wireless data connection is established between the organism and/or the support at the one side and the medical examination apparatus at the other side, the wireless part of the connection being discontinued after termination of the examination.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that a movable, flexible cable with an infrared position at one end is connected, by way of its end that is remote from the infrared interface, to the examination apparatus whereas its end that is provided with the infrared interface is connected, prior to the beginning of the examination, to a mount that is provided on the support and is detached from said mount after termination of the examination.