HIGH RESOLUTION HIGH CONTRAST MRI FOR FLOWING MEDIA

• US 20130328563A1
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: RAPOPORT, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/084 Detection of potentially hazardous samples, e.g. toxic samples, explosives, drugs, firearms, weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/32 Excitation or detection systems, e.g. using radio frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/445 MR involving a non-standard magnetic field B0, e.g. of low magnitude as in the earth's magnetic field or in nanoTesla spectroscopy, comprising a polarizing magnetic field for pre-polarisation, B0 with a temporal variation of its magnitude or direction such as field cycling of B0 or rotation of the direction of B0, or spatially inhomogeneous B0 like in fringe-field MR or in stray-field imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56 Image enhancement or correction, e.g. subtraction or averaging techniques , e.g. improvement of signal-to-noise ratio and resolution

Abstract

An MRI device for providing high-contrast, high-resolution images of a fluid. The device includes: an envelope for at least partially confining the fluid; a plurality of magnets located at least partially around the envelope; and a CPU to process the images, including a computer readable medium containing instructions for generating at least one third image superimposing at least one image of the first images with at least one image of the second images, whereby a high-contrast, high-resolution real-time continuous images of the fluid is obtained.

Claims

1. An MRI device for providing high contrast high resolution images of a fluid, comprising:

a. an envelope for least partially confining said fluid;

b. a plurality of magnets located at least partially around said envelope, said assembly comprising;

i. a least one first magnet configured to provide a high magnetic field for generating multiple time-resolved one or more first images at high resolution of at least a portion of said fluid; and

ii. a least one second magnet configured to provide a low magnetic field for generating multiple time-resolved one or more second images at high contrast of at least portion of same said fluid;

wherein at least one image of said first images and at least one image of said second images being generated in a time no greater than approximately the time between two first images; and

c. a CPU to process said images comprising a computer readable medium containing instructions for generating at least one third image superimposing at least one image of said first images with at least one image of said second images, whereby a high-contrast, high-resolution real-time continuous image of said fluid is obtained.

2. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said at least one first magnet is of 2 Tesla and lower.

3. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said at least one first magnet is of 2 Tesla and higher.

4. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein at least one first magnet is selected from a group consisting of permanent magnets, electromagnets, superconducting magnets, and any combination thereof.

5. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said at least one second magnet is of 2 Tesla and lower.

6. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said at least one second magnet is of 2 Tesla and higher.

7. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein at least one second magnet is selected from a group consisting of permanent magnets, electromagnets, superconducting magnets, and any combination thereof.

8. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said at least one high magnetic field magnet is said at least one low magnetic field magnet.

9. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein the angle between a perpendicular to the direction of flow and said high magnetic field is not the same as the angle between said perpendicular to the direction of flow and said low magnetic field.

10. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein an integrated MRI device comprises both said high magnetic field magnets and said low magnetic field magnets.

11. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said MRI device comprises two MRI devices, one providing the high magnetic field magnets and one providing the low magnetic field magnets.

12. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said high magnetic field magnets have a duty cycle greater than approximately 50% and said low magnetic fields magnets have a duty cycle less than approximately 50%.

13. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said envelope is a member of a group consisting of a pipe, a duct, a tunnel, a conduit, a tube, a conveyor, a channel, a passage, and any combination thereof.

14. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said envelope is an integral part of said MRI device.

15. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is at least one of a group consisting of a liquid, a gas, a slurry, a liquid containing particulates, a gas containing particulates, a gel, a sol, a suspension, a solution, a dispersion, a colloid, a mixture, an emulsion, an aerosol, a liquid containing solid objects, a gas containing solid objects, and any combination thereof.

16. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is the fluid process stream in a production process.

17. The MRI device of claim 16, wherein said production process is in an industrial area, said industrial area a member of a group consisting of the pharmaceuticals, food production, beverage production, chemical refining, chemical processing, medical products, biological products, metal casting, metal refining, desalination, fluid purification, and sewage processing.

18. The MRI device of claim 17, wherein said fluid purification is purification of water.

19. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is contained within a bypass stream from a production line.

20. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is the fluid process stream within a batch process.

21. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is flowing within an engine or combustion chamber.

22. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is the effluent from said engine or combustion chamber.

23. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is some fraction of the effluent from said engine or combustion chamber.

24. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is used in fertility treatments.

25. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is used for artificial insemination.

26. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid contains liposomes.

27. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is a part of an air curtain.

28. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is a polymeric melt.

29. The MRI device of claim 28, wherein said polymeric melt is a member of a group consisting of rubbers, polyesters, polyamides, polypropylenes, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, and any combination thereof.

30. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said device is part of an integrated analysis and production system for a product.

31. The MRI device of claim 30, wherein at least part of said integrated analysis and production system complies with a NeSSI specification.

32. The MRI device of claim 30, wherein at least part of said integrated analysis and production system complies with ANSI/ISA SP76.00.2002 miniature, modular mechanical standard specifications.

33. The MRI device of claim 1, wherein said fluid is a fluid within the body of a living subject.

34. The MRI device of claim 33 wherein said fluid flows from the body of a living subject, through said envelope, and is returned to said living subject

35. The MRI device of claim 1, for imaging at least one first and at least one second image features;

wherein said image processor is adapted to render said image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining said at least one first and at least one second image features.

36. The MRI device of claim 35, wherein said Boolean method uses Boolean operators selected from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof.

37. The MRI-based device of claim 1, wherein the fluid is one of a group consisting of potable water, sewage, irrigation water, sea water, river water, lake water, industrial effluent, farm effluent, effluent from human habitation, road runoff, blood, lymph, a beverage, cleaning fluid, and any combination thereof.