Magnetic resonance imaging with adjustable fixture apparatus
First Claim
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
- a magnetic resonance imager;
magnetic resonance apparatus having a structure including opposed elements defining a patient-receiving gap therebetween and arranged to provide a magnetic field in the gap along a horizontal field axis;
a patient support having a top surface for supporting a patient'"'"'s body and a bottom surface, said patient support movable relative to said structure through a range of support positions, the patient support including a pair of longitudinal edges extending between said top and bottom surfaces in a longitudinal direction transverse to the horizontal field axis so as to define a patient support surface that includes a lateral dimension less than the dimension of the gap and parallel to the horizontal field axis, the patient support further including one or more continuous tracks on said top surface and extending along the patient support parallel to the longitudinal direction, said one or more continuous tracks being positioned entirely between said longitudinal edges;
a fixture-positioning apparatus constructed and arranged to move within said one or more continuous tracks; and
a fixture usable in conjunction with said magnetic resonance apparatus,said fixture-positioning apparatus being operative to secure the fixture to the patient support and to permit adjustment of the position of the fixture relative to the patient support over a range of fixture positions, said range of fixture positions being limited so that for any position of said fixture within said range of fixture positions, said fixture will remain clear of said opposed elements during movement of said patient support through said range of support positions, wherein said range of support positions includes a range of movement in the longitudinal direction of said patient support, andwherein said range of fixture positions includes a lateral range of positions in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.
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Abstract
A fixture such as a local receiver coil is secured to the patient support of a magnetic resonance imaging system so that the fixture remains in position relative to the support even when the support is in a vertical orientation. The positioning apparatus is arranged to allow adjustment of the fixture position, but to limit such adjustment so that the fixture cannot interfere with the poles or other elements defining the patient-receiving gap of the magnet during movement of the patient support.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
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a magnetic resonance imager; magnetic resonance apparatus having a structure including opposed elements defining a patient-receiving gap therebetween and arranged to provide a magnetic field in the gap along a horizontal field axis; a patient support having a top surface for supporting a patient'"'"'s body and a bottom surface, said patient support movable relative to said structure through a range of support positions, the patient support including a pair of longitudinal edges extending between said top and bottom surfaces in a longitudinal direction transverse to the horizontal field axis so as to define a patient support surface that includes a lateral dimension less than the dimension of the gap and parallel to the horizontal field axis, the patient support further including one or more continuous tracks on said top surface and extending along the patient support parallel to the longitudinal direction, said one or more continuous tracks being positioned entirely between said longitudinal edges; a fixture-positioning apparatus constructed and arranged to move within said one or more continuous tracks; and a fixture usable in conjunction with said magnetic resonance apparatus, said fixture-positioning apparatus being operative to secure the fixture to the patient support and to permit adjustment of the position of the fixture relative to the patient support over a range of fixture positions, said range of fixture positions being limited so that for any position of said fixture within said range of fixture positions, said fixture will remain clear of said opposed elements during movement of said patient support through said range of support positions, wherein said range of support positions includes a range of movement in the longitudinal direction of said patient support, and wherein said range of fixture positions includes a lateral range of positions in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for positioning a fixture in a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising:
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a mounting unit; an elongated patient support having a top surface for supporting a patient'"'"'s body, a bottom surface, a pair of longitudinal edges extending in a direction of elongation, and a pair of continuous tracks extending along the top surface of said patient support in the elongation direction, said pair of tracks being positioned entirely between said pair of longitudinal edges of said patient support, said patient support being capable of moving through a range of support motions and said continuous tracks being capable of moving through said range of support motions while said elongated patient support is moving through said range of support motions; one or more mount attachments joined to the mounting unit, the one or more mount attachments being adapted to connect said mounting unit to the continuous tracks on the patient support of the magnetic resonance apparatus, the mount attachments being adapted to translate in the continuous tracks in the elongation direction; and a fixture-receiving unit, said fixture-receiving unit being adapted to hold said fixture, said fixture-receiving unit and said mounting unit being engagable with one another so that said fixture-receiving unit can be adjusted over a range of positions relative to said mounting unit, whereby a fixture held in said fixture-receiving unit can be adjusted in position relative to the patient support of the magnetic resonance apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a patient support of a magnetic resonance system said patient support including a top surface for supporting a patient'"'"'s body, a bottom surface, and a first and second pair of opposed edges extending between said top and bottom surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a fixture on said patient support of said magnetic resonance apparatus using a fixture-positioning apparatus; (b) slidably adjusting the fixture relative to the patient support; (c) moving the patient support within a range of support positions between a pair of magnet elements defining a gap including tilting the patient support between an upright and horizontal position, the pair of magnet elements being operable to generate a static magnetic field along a horizontal field axis and wherein the top surface of the patient support lies in a plane parallel to the horizontal field axis, the fixture-positioning apparatus limiting the position of the fixture after said adjusting step so that the fixture does not interfere with the pair of magnet elements during said moving step; and (d) disengaging the fixture from the fixture-positioning apparatus, replacing the fixture with another fixture, and repeating said positioning and moving steps. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification