MRT Local Coil Apparatus for Diagnostics, Intervention and Therapy

• US 20130069651A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agron Lumiani
• Original Assignee: Agron Lumiani
• Inventors: Lumiani, Agron
• Application Number:
  US13/571,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20130069651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34084 implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels

Abstract

An MRT local coil apparatus (1), includes at least one carrier (T1, T2); and at least one antenna element (K11-K202) adapted for transmitting and/or receiving of MRT signals; wherein the at least one antenna element (K11-K202) is arranged in the carrier (T1, T2); wherein the carrier (T1) comprises at least one intervention opening (2) adapted to provide an access for a medical instrument to the patient. The MRT local coil apparatus (1) may be converted in a diagnosis local coil apparatus or an intervention local coil apparatus and vise versa by moving the first carrier portion (T1) with antenna elements (K11-K23) with respect to the second carrier portion (T2) with antenna elements (K100-K202). The invention also discloses an MRT perineal local coil apparatus (200) arranging at least one antenna element (218, 220, 222) in the perineal portion of a patient.

Claims

1. MRT local coil apparatus (1), having

a carrier (1a, 1b;

T1, T2); and

at least one antenna element (K11-K202) each adapted for receiving a plurality of MRT signals;

wherein the at least one antenna element (K, K11-K202) is arranged in a carrier (1a, 1b;

T1, T2);

wherein the carrier (1a, 1b;

T1) comprises at least one intervention opening (2, 2′

) adapted to provide an access for a medical instrument (9) to the patient,

wherein the MRT local coil apparatus (1) is adapted to be positioned such on the patient such that the at least one intervention opening (2, 2′

) is located in body longitudinal direction of the patient approximately at the same position as the prostate (102) and the pelvis minor, respectively, that an rectangle circumscribing the at least one intervention opening (2, 2′

) is located dorsal above the prostate (102) and/or the pelvis minor, and that the MRT local coil apparatus (1) comprises arrangement means (5C, 5D) for the medical instrument.

2. MRT local coil apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a higher number of antenna elements (K21-K24) is arranged in a region located close to the organ to be examined, wherein optionally a higher number of antenna elements (K21-K24) is arranged in a region located close to the center of the pelvis minor and/or located close to the lateral wall of the pelvis major.

3. MRT local coil apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (1a, 1b;

T1, T2) is formed as a cuff that may be closed and opened.

4. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein the intervention opening (2, 2′

) is adapted for receiving a reference element (6) having first alignment means and being visible in the MRT image.

5. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein the intervention opening (2, 2′

) is limited by a frame (5, 5′

), wherein at two juxtaposed sides of the frame (5, 5′

) inclined sliding surfaces (5a, 5b) are provided, wherein the sliding surfaces (5a, 5b) are inclined with respect an axis perpendicular to the intervention opening (2, 2′

) in the same direction.

6. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, comprising cross beam arrangement means (5c, 5d) provided for arranging a cross beam (7) movable in at least a first direction (Y) above the intervention opening (2, 2′

), wherein optionally a slide (8a) movable in a second direction (X) is coupled with the cross beam (7).

7. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to claim 6, wherein the medical instrument (9), such as a needle (9), can be located at the intervention opening (2), at the cross beam (7) and/or at the slide (8a).

8. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 6, wherein the cross beam, the slide (8), an instrument holder and/or the border portion of the intervention opening (2, 2′

) comprises second adjustment means (7e).

9. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein at least one antenna element (K11) is located between two intervention openings (2, 2′

) and/or wherein the winding of an antenna element (K′

, K″

) is arranged around the intervention opening (A).

10. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein the winding of the antenna elements (K11-K202) is formed essentially rectangular and/or at least one antenna element (K11 to K202) is arranged rectangular or parallel to the edge of the intervention opening (2, 2′

).

11. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein the carrier (1a, 1b) extends in the longitudinal direction (T1y) farther than in cross direction (T1x) and wherein at least one antenna element (K21, K22) is located in cross direction (T1x) of the carrier (1a, 1b) beside the intervention opening (2, 2′

) and wherein at least one antenna element (K11) is arranged in longitudinal direction (T1y) of the carrier (1a, 1b) beside the intervention opening (2, 2′

).

12. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to claim 11, wherein at least three antenna elements (K12, K22) are arranged in cross direction (T1x) of the carrier (1, 1′

) beside the at least one intervention opening (2, 2′

).

13. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 1, wherein the carrier (1, 1′

) comprises a first carrier portion (T1) that is adapted to be arranged on a first side of a part of a body of the patient, and a second carrier portion (T2) adapted to be arranged at a second side of the part of the body, wherein the at least one intervention opening (2, 2′

) is formed in the first carrier portion (T1) and wherein both in the first carrier portion (T1) and in the second carrier portion (T2) antenna elements (K, K11-K203) are arranged.

14. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to claim 13, wherein the carrier portion comprising the intervention opening is adapted to be placed such that the natal cleft is positioned on a line approximately in the middle between the intervention openings (2, 2′

) or approximately in the middle of the intervention opening (2).

15. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to claim 13, wherein the first carrier portion (T1) can be arranged in two different positions with respect to the second carrier portion (T2).

16. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 13, wherein the first carrier portion (T1) can be moved such with respect to the second carrier portion (T2) that the intervention opening (2) may be positioned in two different positions.

17. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 13, wherein the first carrier portion (T1) is movable with respect to the second carrier portion (T2) such that the intervention opening (2) can be arranged in two different positions in cross direction of the MRT local coil apparatus (1) and/or in longitudinal direction of the patient.

18. MRT local coil apparatus (1) according to one of claim 13, wherein the MRT local coil apparatus (1) can be arranged at the pelvis minor or the abdomen of the patient (100), wherein the first carrier portion (T1) is adapted to be arranged in the diagnosis position at the front region on the patient (100), and the second carrier portion (T2) is adapted to be positioned in the diagnosis position at the back of the patient, wherein the first carrier portion (T1) is adapted to be arranged in the intervention position on the back of the patient (100), and wherein the second carrier portion (T2) is adapted to be positioned in the intervention position at the front of the patient, and wherein the first carrier portion (T1) can be arranged such with respect to the second carrier portion (T2) that the intervention opening (2) may be arranged in two different positions in the longitudinal direction of the patient.