INSTALLABLE RF COIL ASSEMBLY

• US 20160089055A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: RAPOPORT, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 10,524,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00911 for fields applied by a magnetic resonance imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/045 Newborns, e.g. premature baby monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/002 height-adjustable patient support
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/005 with movable walls, e.g. for accessing the inside, removable walls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/02 Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/104 Adaptations for table mobility, e.g. arrangement of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/288 Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/30 Sample handling arrangements, e.g. sample cells, spinning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34 Constructional details, e.g. resonators , specially adapted to MR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3806 Open magnet assemblies for improved access to the sample, e.g. C-type or U-type magnets

Abstract

A maneuverable RF coil assembly, useful for being maneuvered at both positions: (i) over at least a portion of a neonate immobilized within a cradle at time of MR imaging; and (ii) below or aside the cradle when it is not required for imaging. The maneuverable RF coil assembly comprises at least one RF coil and maneuvering mechanism. The maneuvering mechanism comprises both: (i) a linear reciprocating mechanism for approaching or otherwise drawing away at least one coil to and from the neonate; and (ii) tilting mechanism for placing at least one coil away from the neonate.

Claims

1. A maneuverable RF coil assembly (MRCA), useful for being maneuvered at both positions:

(i) over at least a portion of a neonate immobilized within a cradle at time of MR imaging; and

(ii) below or aside said cradle when it is not required for imaging, comprising at least one RF coil and maneuvering mechanism;

wherein said maneuvering mechanism comprises both;

(i) a linear reciprocating mechanism for approaching or otherwise drawing away said at least one coil to and from said neonate; and

(ii) tilting mechanism for placing said at least one coil away from said neonate.

2. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein said RF coil maneuvering mechanism is configured to enable a plurality of consecutively maneuverable movement vectors.

3. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein said maneuvering mechanism is configured to provide a plurality of positions for said RF coil adjacent to said neonate.

4. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein said RF coil is configured to close an opening of an incubator when in at least one position.

5. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said assembly comprises a handle configured for maneuvering said RF coil assembly by a handler;

b. said maneuvering mechanism is selected from a group consisting of;

automated, manual, semi-automated, remote controlled, and any combination thereof;

c. said assembly comprises a least one latch configured to secure at least one position of the RF coil assembly;

d. said RF coil assembly comprises at least one sensor configured to sense a selected from a group consisting of;

structural integrity of said RF coil, structural integrity of said maneuvering mechanism, position of RF coil, proximity of said neonate to said RF coil, RF signal received, RF signal transmitted, and any combination thereof; and

,

e. said RF coil assembly is reversibly detachable from said cradle.

6. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said RF coil assembly comprises a plurality of RF coils;

b. said RF coil is configured to connect to at least a second RF coil; and

,

c. said RF coil is connected to at least a second RF coil by a maneuverable connection.

7. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said cradle is supported by a MRI safe cart;

b. said cradle is supported by a MRI safe cart, at least a portion thereof is insertable to a selected from a group consisting of;

into an MRD bore, into a transport device, into a treatment device, into a storage device and any combination thereof; and

,

c. said RF coil assembly, in connection with said cradle and supported by an MRI safe cart, is configured to be at least partially insertable into an MRD bore.

8. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein said RF assembly and cradle are sized and shaped to be at least partially accommodated within an MRD bore.

9. The MRCA according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said RF coil is selected from a group consisting of;

solenoid, planar, volume, surface, quadrature, and any combination thereof;

b. said RF coil is a multi-tuned RF coil; and

,

c. said RF coil assembly comprises a multi-channel RF coil;

further wherein said RF coil assembly is reconfigurable between pluralities of operational modes.

10. A multi-functional maneuvering mechanism (MMM) for maneuvering an RF coil assembly to and from at least two positions:

(i) over at least a portion of a neonate immobilized within a cradle at time of MR imaging; and

(ii) below or aside said cradle when it is not required for imaging, comprising at least one RF coil and maneuvering mechanism;

wherein said multi-functional maneuvering mechanism comprises (i) at least one first linear reciprocating mechanism for approaching or otherwise drawing away said at least one coil to and from said neonate; and

(ii) at least one second tilting mechanism for placing said at least one coil away from said neonate.

11. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein said RF coil maneuvering mechanism is configured to enable a plurality of consecutively maneuverable movement vectors.

12. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein said maneuvering mechanism is configured to provide a plurality of positions for said RF coil adjacent to said neonate.

13. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein said RF coil is configured to close an opening of an incubator when in at least one position.

14. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said assembly comprises a handle configured for maneuvering said RF coil assembly by a handler;

b. said maneuvering mechanism is selected from a group consisting of;

automated, manual, semi-automated, remote controlled, and any combination thereof;

c. said assembly comprises a least one latch configured to secure at least one position of the RF coil assembly;

d. said RF coil assembly comprises at least one sensor configured to sense a selected from a group consisting of;

structural integrity of said RF coil, structural integrity of said maneuvering mechanism, position of RF coil, proximity of said neonate to said coil, RF signal received, RF signal transmitted, and any combination thereof; and

,

e. said RF coil assembly is reversibly detachable from said cradle.

15. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said RF coil assembly comprises a plurality of RF coils;

b. said RF coil is configured to connect to at least a second RF coil; and

,

c. said RF coil is connected to at least a second RF coil by a maneuverable connection.

16. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said cradle is supported by a MRI safe cart;

b. said cradle is supported by a MRI safe cart, at least a portion thereof is insertable to a selected from a group consisting of;

into an MRD bore, into a transport device, into a treatment device, into a storage device and any combination thereof; and

,

c. said RF coil assembly, in connection with said cradle and supported by an MRI safe cart, is configured to be at least partially insertable into an MRD bore.

17. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein said RF assembly and cradle are sized and shaped to be at least partially accommodated within an MRD bore.

18. The MMM according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the following holds true:

a. said RF coil is selected from a group consisting of;

solenoid, planar, volume, surface, quadrature, and any combination thereof;

b. said RF coil is a multi-tuned RF coil; and

,

c. said RF coil assembly comprises a multi-channel RF coil;

further wherein said RF coil assembly is reconfigurable between pluralities of operational modes.

19. A method of maneuvering an RF coil, comprising at least two different steps:

a step of (i) linearly reciprocating an RF coil assembly for approaching or otherwise drawing away said at least one coil to and from a neonate to be MR imaged; and

then (ii) tilting said RF coil assembly for placing said at least one coil away from said neonate when said neonate is not MR imaged.

20. A method for both (i) applying at least one RF coil over at least a portion of a neonate immobilized within a cradle and (ii) conveniently removing said RF coil from said neonate and safely placing it when it is not required for imaging;

comprising at least two different steps of maneuvering an RF coil;

a step of (i) linearly reciprocating an RF coil assembly for approaching or otherwise drawing away said at least one coil to and from a neonate to be MR imaged; and

then (ii) tilting said RF coil assembly for placing said at least one coil away from said neonate when said neonate is not MR imaged.