Apparatus for controlling the operation of an MRI system
First Claim
1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for generating magnetic resonance images of a patient, comprising:
- a magnet subsystem including a magnet for generating a magnetic field, the magnet subsystem being located in a shielded room having a window;
one or more physiological sensors located within the magnet, and adapted to receive data of the patient, the data associated with physiological parameters of the patient monitored by the sensor, at least one of the physiological sensors including a probe;
an MRI control terminal for controlling the magnet subsystem, the MRI control terminal being located in a control room outside of the shielded room and comprising;
a memory containing executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to use the executable instructions to;
determine whether the data from the sensor meets a triggering condition;
control the magnet subsystem such that the magnet subsystem initiates a pre programmed pulse sequence; and
a data transmission subsystem for providing the data from the one or more physiological sensors to the MRI control terminal, comprising;
a fiber optic cable directly coupled to the probe of the at least one of the physiological sensors;
a wireless transmitter located outside of the magnet and in the shielded room, and coupled to the probe through the fiber optic cable; and
a wireless receiver located in the control room and coupled to the MRI control terminal, the wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive data transmitted by the wireless transmitter,wherein the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver are positioned with the window in between such that the data is wirelessly transmitted through the window, andwherein the MRI system is configured to;
acquire a plurality of MRI data sets in response to determining that the data received wirelessly from the sensor meets the triggering condition, said data sets collected from radio frequency (RF) signals emitted from the patient as a result of the pre programmed pulse sequence; and
generate a magnetic resonance image based on said data sets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An MRI system is provided that includes a physiological sensor used for gating the MRI system and an MRI control terminal wirelessly connected to the sensor. The physiological sensor is used to monitor a physiological parameter of a user, such as pressure pulse, and communicate data regarding the monitored physiological parameter to the MRI control terminal. The MRI control terminal processes the data received from the physiological sensor and determines whether a triggering condition on the data is met. When it is determined that the triggering condition is met, the MRI control terminal initiates the acquisition of a data set. The acquisition of the data set involves initiating a pre-programmed pulse sequence and acquiring RF signals emitted from the patient'"'"'s tissue as a result of the execution of the pre-programmed pulse sequence.
16 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for generating magnetic resonance images of a patient, comprising:
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a magnet subsystem including a magnet for generating a magnetic field, the magnet subsystem being located in a shielded room having a window; one or more physiological sensors located within the magnet, and adapted to receive data of the patient, the data associated with physiological parameters of the patient monitored by the sensor, at least one of the physiological sensors including a probe; an MRI control terminal for controlling the magnet subsystem, the MRI control terminal being located in a control room outside of the shielded room and comprising; a memory containing executable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to use the executable instructions to; determine whether the data from the sensor meets a triggering condition; control the magnet subsystem such that the magnet subsystem initiates a pre programmed pulse sequence; and a data transmission subsystem for providing the data from the one or more physiological sensors to the MRI control terminal, comprising; a fiber optic cable directly coupled to the probe of the at least one of the physiological sensors; a wireless transmitter located outside of the magnet and in the shielded room, and coupled to the probe through the fiber optic cable; and a wireless receiver located in the control room and coupled to the MRI control terminal, the wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive data transmitted by the wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver are positioned with the window in between such that the data is wirelessly transmitted through the window, and wherein the MRI system is configured to; acquire a plurality of MRI data sets in response to determining that the data received wirelessly from the sensor meets the triggering condition, said data sets collected from radio frequency (RF) signals emitted from the patient as a result of the pre programmed pulse sequence; and generate a magnetic resonance image based on said data sets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification