METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF A SUITABLE TABLE POSITION FOR AN MR EXAMINATION STEP
First Claim
1. A method to determine a table position for an examination step in a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising a movable patient table, on which an examination subject is situated, said method comprising:
- (a) moving said patient table, with said examination subject situated thereon, to a first table position within said MR apparatus, and selecting a first measurement volume from which MR data are to be acquired from the examination subject in a first examination step of an MR data acquisition procedure, said first measurement volume having a first measurement volume focal point;
(b) conducting adjustment measurements to adjust components of said MR apparatus to parameters that are needed for said first examination step, and storing results of said adjustment measurement in an electronic memory as first adjustment parameters;
(c) selecting a second measurement volume within the examination subject, from which MR data are to be acquired in a second examination step, said second measurement volume having a second measurement volume focal point;
(d) in a computer, calculating a difference selected from the group consisting of a difference between an optimal table position of said patient table for said second examination step and said first table position, and a difference between said first measurement volume focal point and said second measurement volume focal point;
(e) in said computer, comparing said difference to a threshold to obtain a comparison result designating whether said difference does or does not exceed said threshold; and
(f) operating said MR apparatus to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, with said patient table at said optimal table position for said second examination step, if said difference exceeds said threshold, and operating said MR apparatus with said first adjustment parameters, and with said patient table at said first table position, to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, if said difference does not exceed said threshold.
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Abstract
In a method and apparatus to determine a suitable table position for an examination step in a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus, the patient table is moved to a first table position and a first measurement volume is selected. Adjustment measurements to adjust components of the MR apparatus to the first measurement volume are implemented and the measurement results are stored. A second measurement volume is selected. The difference between an optimal table position for the second examination step and the first table position is calculated. MR data are acquired from the second measurement volume at the optimal table position for the second examination step if the difference exceeds a defined threshold, and at the first table position with the first adjustment parameters if the difference does not exceed the threshold.
7 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method to determine a table position for an examination step in a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising a movable patient table, on which an examination subject is situated, said method comprising:
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(a) moving said patient table, with said examination subject situated thereon, to a first table position within said MR apparatus, and selecting a first measurement volume from which MR data are to be acquired from the examination subject in a first examination step of an MR data acquisition procedure, said first measurement volume having a first measurement volume focal point; (b) conducting adjustment measurements to adjust components of said MR apparatus to parameters that are needed for said first examination step, and storing results of said adjustment measurement in an electronic memory as first adjustment parameters; (c) selecting a second measurement volume within the examination subject, from which MR data are to be acquired in a second examination step, said second measurement volume having a second measurement volume focal point; (d) in a computer, calculating a difference selected from the group consisting of a difference between an optimal table position of said patient table for said second examination step and said first table position, and a difference between said first measurement volume focal point and said second measurement volume focal point; (e) in said computer, comparing said difference to a threshold to obtain a comparison result designating whether said difference does or does not exceed said threshold; and (f) operating said MR apparatus to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, with said patient table at said optimal table position for said second examination step, if said difference exceeds said threshold, and operating said MR apparatus with said first adjustment parameters, and with said patient table at said first table position, to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, if said difference does not exceed said threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising:
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an MR data acquisition unit comprising a movable examination table on which an examination subject is situated; a control computer configured to move said patient table, with said examination subject situated thereon, to a first table position within said MR apparatus, and to select a first measurement volume from which MR data are to be acquired from the examination subject in a first examination step of an MR data acquisition procedure, said first measurement volume having a first measurement volume focal point; said control computer being configured to operate said MR apparatus to conduct adjustment measurements to adjust components of said MR apparatus to parameters that are needed for said first examination step, and to store results of said adjustment measurement in an electronic memory as first adjustment parameters; said control computer being configured to select a second measurement volume within the examination subject, from which MR data are to be acquired in a second examination step, said second measurement volume having a second measurement volume focal point; said control computer being configured to calculate a difference selected from the group consisting of a difference between an optimal table position of said patient table for said second examination step and said first table position, and a difference between said first measurement volume focal point and said second measurement volume focal point; said control computer being configured to compare said difference to a threshold to obtain a comparison result designating whether said difference does or does not exceed said threshold; and said control computer being configured to operate said MR apparatus to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, with said patient table at said optimal table position for said second examination step, if said difference exceeds said threshold, and to operate said MR apparatus with said first adjustment parameters, and with said patient table at said first table position, to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, if said difference does not exceed said threshold.
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14. A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a control computer of a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus that comprises a movable patient table on which an examination subject is situated, said control instructions causing said control computer to:
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move said patient table, with said examination subject situated thereon, to a first table position within said MR apparatus, and select a first measurement volume from which MR data are to be acquired from the examination subject in a first examination step of an MR data acquisition procedure, said first measurement volume having a first measurement volume focal point; conduct adjustment measurements to adjust components of said MR apparatus to parameters that are needed for said first examination step, and store results of said adjustment measurement in an electronic memory as first adjustment parameters; select a second measurement volume within the examination subject, from which MR data are to be acquired in a second examination step, said second measurement volume having a second measurement volume focal point; calculate a difference selected from the group consisting of a difference between an optimal table position of said patient table for said second examination step and said first table position, and a difference between said first measurement volume focal point and said second measurement volume focal point; compare said difference to a threshold to obtain a comparison result designating whether said difference does or does not exceed said threshold; and operate said MR apparatus to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step, with said patient table at said optimal table position for said second examination step, if said difference exceeds said threshold, and operate said MR apparatus with said first adjustment parameters, and with said patient table at said first table position, to acquire said MR data from said second measurement volume in said second examination step if said difference does not exceed said threshold.
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Specification