Arrangement for magnetic field measurement

• US 7,579,837 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fath, Sascha, Granzer, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Arana; Louis M
• Application Number:
  US12/128,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 324/320, 324/319, 324/318
• US Class Current: 324/319
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/022 Measuring gradient

Abstract

The invention concerns an arrangement for magnetic field measurement of a measurement object (in particular a gradient coil in a magnetic resonance apparatus) with a magnetic field sensor that is designed to measure a magnetic field of the measurement object and with a measurement mechanism on which the magnetic field sensor is arranged at a first position. The measurement object has detectable reference points that can be used for calibration of a spatial position of a position sensor. The calibrated position sensor is arranged at a second position of the measurement mechanism, such that, with the first position and the second position, a spatial position relative to the measurement object can be associated with each magnetic field strength that is measured by the magnetic field sensor.

Claims

1. An arrangement for making a magnetic field measurement of a measurement object, comprising:

a magnetic field sensor configured to measure a magnetic field of a measurement object;

a measurement mechanism that positions said magnetic field sensor at a first position;

a plurality of detectable reference indentifiers configured for placement on said measurement object;

a position sensor that interacts with said detectable reference identifiers to calibrate a spatial position of said position sensor, said position sensor being arranged at a second position on said measurement mechanism; and

a processor that, based on knowledge of said first position and said second position, associates a spatial position relative to the measurement object with each magnetic field strength of the measurement object that is measured by the magnetic field sensor.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said detectable reference identifies are optically detectable by said position sensor.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said measurement mechanism comprises a measurement arm on which said magnetic field sensor is mounted.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said position sensor is mounted directly on said measurement arm, and wherein said measurement arm comprises an arm extension on which said magnetic field sensor is mounted.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein said measurement mechanism comprises a movement mechanism that moves said measurement arm to enable movement of at least one of said magnetic field sensor and said position sensor in up to 6°

of freedom.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said position sensor is detachably fixed to said measurement mechanism to allow removal of said position sensor after calibration thereof.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising three of said detectable reference identifiers, and wherein said processor determines spatial coordinates within a common plane from said three reference identifiers.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein said measurement object has a cylindrical shape, and wherein said three reference identifiers designate a first plane in a first region of said cylinder and comprising three further reference identifiers that define a second plane at an end region of said cylinder.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 8 comprising a reference identifier located at a facing side of said cylindrical measurement object.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said measurement object is a gradient coil of a magnetic resonance apparatus.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first position of said magnetic field sensor and said second position of said position sensor are identical.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said measurement mechanism is comprised of non-magnetic and non-electrically conductive material.