MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20080284438A1
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,719,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/385 using gradient magnetic field coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3856 Means for cooling the gradient coils or thermal shielding of the gradient coils

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a bed, a static field magnet, a gradient coil, a liner and a heat transfer material. The bed includes a table-top capable of placing thereon an object. The static field magnet generates a static magnetic field. The gradient coil, formed inside the static field magnet, generates gradient magnetic fields. The liner, provided inside the gradient coil, forms a bore in which the table-top is advanced or retreated. Further, the heat transfer material is attached to the liner.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:

a bed including a table-top capable of placing thereon an object;

a static field magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field;

a gradient coil, formed inside the static field magnet, configured to generate gradient magnetic fields;

a liner, provided inside the gradient coil, configured to form a bore in which the table-top is advanced or retreated; and

a heat transfer material attached to the liner.

2. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the heat transfer material is a heat transfer sheet that is able to be pasted to the liner.

3. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the number of layers and a thermal conductivity of the heat transfer material attached to the liner is changed in a phased manner.

4. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the heat transfer material is attached to at least an outer circumferential surface of the liner.

5. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the heat transfer material is uniformly attached to the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner.

6. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the heat transfer material is attached to portions of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner corresponding to a dense portion of the gradient coil, and to an entire lower portion of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner below an uppermost surface of the table-top.

7. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the heat transfer material is attached to portions of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner corresponding to dense portions of an X-axis gradient coil, a Y-axis gradient coil, and a Z-axis gradient coil, which form the gradient coil, and to the entire lower portion.

8. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the heat transfer material is attached to portions of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner corresponding to a dense portion of the gradient coil, and to an entire upper portion of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner not including an entire lower portion of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner below an uppermost surface of the table-top.

9. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the heat transfer material is attached to portions of the entire outer circumferential surface of the liner corresponding to dense portions of an X-axis gradient coil, a Y-axis gradient coil, and a Z-axis gradient coil, which form the gradient coil, and to the entire upper portion.

10. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heat shield material attached to an entire inner circumferential surface of the liner.

11. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heat shield material attached to an entire upper portion of an inner circumferential surface of the liner above an uppermost surface of the table-top.

12. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a heat radiation material extending outside the bore is attached to a portion of the heat transfer material.

13. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the heat transfer material has a higher thermal conductivity in the width direction thereof than in the thickness direction thereof.

14. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the heat transfer material has a higher thermal conductivity in the surface direction thereof than in the thickness direction thereof.