MRI IMAGING SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A RENDERED IMAGE

• US 20140051973A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: RAPOPORT, Uri, BATT, Aryeh
• Application Number:
  US13/943,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20140051973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4808 Multimodal MR, e.g. MR combined with positron emission tomography [PET], MR combined with ultrasound or MR combined with computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging system, having an MRI device that images at least a portion of an animal. The system includes: a photon transmitter that is introducible within the body of an animal; at least one imaging photon detector that detects fluorescence excited within the animal by transmitted photons from the photon transmitter; and an image processor that superimposes an MRI image and a photon detector image to yield a combined image.

Claims

1. An MRI imaging system, having an MRI device for imaging at least a portion of an animal, said system characterized by

a. a photon transmitter, introducible within the body of an animal;

b. at least one imaging photon detector located either within or outside said animal, for detecting fluorescence excited within said animal by said transmitted photons; and

c. an image processor adapted to superimpose said MRI image and said at least one photon detector image, generating a rendered MRI image of said at least a portion of said animal.

2. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter of photons is selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber, a cannula, a light pipe, a light tube, and any combination thereof.

3. The MRI imaging system of claim 2, wherein said optical fiber is selected from the group consisting of silica glass fiber, fluorozirconate glass fiber, fluoroaluminate glass fiber, chalcogenide glass fiber, sapphire fiber, and polymer optical fiber.

4. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter of photons enters the body through an orifice selected from the group consisting of a cannula inserted in the animal, a trocar inserted in the animal, a laparoscopy system inserted in the animal, the nose, the mouth, the anus, the vagina, the urethra, the ear, and any combination thereof.

5. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said photons are in at least one range selected from the group consisting of X-rays, far ultraviolet, near ultraviolet, visible light, near infrared and far infrared.

6. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said at least one photon detector is selected from the group consisting of a CCD array, a camera, a photoconductive detector array, a photovoltaic detector array, a quantum dot array, a superconducting single-photon detector array, a photovoltaic cell array, a phototube array, and any combination thereof.

7. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said image processor is adapted to render said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of said photon detector image.

8. The MRI imaging system of claim 5, wherein said Boolean method uses Boolean operators selected from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof.

9. The MRI imaging system of claim 8, wherein magnets in said MRI imaging system are selected from the group consisting of permanent magnets, superconducting magnets, and any combination thereof.

10. A method for MRI imaging at least a portion of an animal, comprising steps of:

a. providing an MRI imaging system, having an MRI device for imaging at least a portion of an animal;

said system characterized by

i. photon transmitter, introducible within the body of an animal;

ii. at least one imaging photon detector located either within or outside said animal, for detecting fluorescence excited within said animal by said transmitted photons; and

iii. an image processor adapted to superimpose said MRI image and said photon detector image, generating a rendered MRI image of said at least a portion of said animal;

b. introducing said photon transmitter within the body of an animal;

c. MRI-imaging said at least a portion of said animal;

d. creating a photon detector image of said at least a portion of said animal; and

e. superimposing said MRI image and said photon detector image, generating a rendered MRI image of said at least a portion of said animal.

11. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of selecting the transmitter of photons from the group consisting of an optical fiber, a cannula, a light pipe, a light tube, and any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising a step of selecting the optical fiber from the group consisting of silica glass fiber, fluorozirconate glass fiber, fluoroaluminate glass fiber, chalcogenide glass fiber, sapphire fiber, and polymer optical fiber

13. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of emplacing said fiber within said body through an orifice selected from the group consisting of a cannula inserted in the animal, a trocar inserted in the animal, a laparoscopy system inserted in the animal, the nose, the mouth, the anus, the vagina, the urethra, the ear, and any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of selecting the range of said photons from at least one of the group consisting of X-rays, far ultraviolet, near ultraviolet, visible light, near infrared and far infrared.

15. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of selecting said at least one photon detector from the group consisting of a CCD array, a camera, a photoconductive detector array, a photovoltaic detector array, a quantum dot array, a superconducting single-photon detector array, a photovoltaic cell array, a phototube array, and any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of rendering said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of said photon detector image.

17. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising a step of selecting Boolean operators in said Boolean method from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising a step of selecting magnets in said MRI imaging system from the group consisting of permanent magnets, superconducting magnets, and any combination thereof.