Method of internal magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic analysis and associated apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of internal magnetic resonance analysis of a specimen comprisingpositioning said specimen within a main magnetic field,introducing an invasive probe having an elongated receiver coil into said specimen,employing as said receiver coil a resiliently flexible coil having at least one pair of elongated electrical conductors disposed within a resiliently flexible dielectric material and having a pair of ends electrically connected to each other,maintaining the spacing between said pair of elongated electrical conductors substantially uniform throughout said analysis,imposing said main magnetic field on region of interest of said specimen,applying RF pulses to said region of interest to excite magnetic resonance signals within said specimen,applying gradient magnetic pulses to said region of interest to spatially encode the magnetic resonance signals,said receiver coil receiving said magnetic resonance signals and emitting responsive output signals,processing means for receiving and processing said output signals and converting them into MR information, andemploying display means for receiving MR information from said processing means and displaying the same as an image or as chemical shift spectra.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic analysis of the interior of a specimen which includes positioning the specimen within a main magnetic field, introducing an invasive probe having an elongated receiver coil into or adjacent to the specimen with the coil having at least one pair of elongated electrical conductors, preferably, generally parallel to each other disposed within a dielectric material and having a pair of ends electrically connected to each other. RF pulses are provided to the region of interest to excite magnetic resonance signals, gradient magnetic pulses are applied to the region of interest with the receiver coil receiving magnetic resonance signals and emitting responsive output signals which may be processed by a computer to provide image information for display in a desired manner. The method in a preferred form involves employing a flexible receiver coil which has uniform sensitivity along the coil and may be operated even when the magnetic resonance signal is in an oblique position. Tuning capacitance may be distributed along the length of the coil and/or a Faraday screen provided to minimize dielectric losses between the coil and the surrounding material of the specimen. The method may be used on a wide variety of specimens and in a preferred use is introduced into small blood vessels of a patient to facilitate determination of atherosclerotic plaque. Medical intervention procedures, such as plaque removal, may be employed generally simultaneously with the imaging of the present invention. Corresponding apparatus is provided.
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Citations
85 Claims
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1. A method of internal magnetic resonance analysis of a specimen comprising
positioning said specimen within a main magnetic field, introducing an invasive probe having an elongated receiver coil into said specimen, employing as said receiver coil a resiliently flexible coil having at least one pair of elongated electrical conductors disposed within a resiliently flexible dielectric material and having a pair of ends electrically connected to each other, maintaining the spacing between said pair of elongated electrical conductors substantially uniform throughout said analysis, imposing said main magnetic field on region of interest of said specimen, applying RF pulses to said region of interest to excite magnetic resonance signals within said specimen, applying gradient magnetic pulses to said region of interest to spatially encode the magnetic resonance signals, said receiver coil receiving said magnetic resonance signals and emitting responsive output signals, processing means for receiving and processing said output signals and converting them into MR information, and employing display means for receiving MR information from said processing means and displaying the same as an image or as chemical shift spectra.
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42. Magnetic resonance specimen analysis apparatus comprising
magnetic field generating means for establishing a main magnetic field on said specimen, magnetic field gradient generating means for establishing gradients in said main magnetic field, RF signal generating means for emitting pulsed RF signals to at least portions of said specimen disposed within said main magnetic field, an elongated receiver coil having at least a pair of elongated electrical conductors disposed within a dielectric material and having a pair of ends electrically connected to each other and having means for receiving signals emitted from said specimen responsive to said RF pulses and emitting responsive output signals, processing means for receiving and processing said output signals from said receiver coil and creating MR information related thereto, visual display means for displaying said MR information received from said processing means as an image or as chemical shift spectra, and probe means for positioning said receiver coil with respect to said specimen for insertion of said receiver coil into said specimen.
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76. A magnetic resonance coil assembly comprising
a resiliently flexible elongated receiver coil for internal magnetic resonance analysis of a region of interest of a specimen by insertion of the receiver coil into the specimen to receive magnetic energy emitted by nuclei disposed within a specimen which is positioned within a main magnetic field responsive to bursts of radio frequency energy and gradient magnetic pulses which are both applied to the specimen and emitting responsive signals, and said receiver coil having at least one pair of elongated electrically connected conductors disposed within a flexible dielectric material and having means for receiving signals emitted from a specimen and emitting responsive output signals.
Specification