Apparatus and method for nuclear magnetic resonance scanning and mapping
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting selected nuclei within a specimen utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon comprising:
- (a) providing a .[.nonuniform.]. primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space.]. .Iadd.oriented in a direction Ho .Iaddend.;
(b) focusing the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space by a time-independent shaping of the primary static magnetic field space.]. to provide a .Iadd.resultant magnetic field oriented in the Ho direction and having .Iaddend.a three dimensional resonance domain of selectable size .[.wherein.]. .Iadd.within which .Iaddend.the field strength .Iadd.in the direction Ho .Iaddend.is substantially uniform .Iadd.and wherein there are points in the resultant magnetic field not in the resonance domain but having the same field strength in the Ho direction, all said points being in regions of non-uniform field intensity having sufficiently large gradients so as not to generate substantial resonance signals;
(c) maintaining the configuration of the resultant field within the resonance domain during generation of a nuclear magnetic resonance signal;
.Iaddend..[.(c).]. .Iadd.(d) .Iaddend.positioning the specimen such that the resonance domain impinges on the specimen;
.[.(d).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.directing oscillating magnetic radiation to the resonance domain such that the magnetic field orientation of the oscillating magnetic radiation is orthogonal to the magnetic field orientation of the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field to cause a nuclear magnetic resonance signal to be generated by selected nuclei within the resonance domain;
.[.(e).]. (.Iadd.f) .Iaddend.receiving the nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated; and
.[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.processing the nuclear magnetic resonance signal to determine a nuclear magnetic resonance value directly which nuclear magnetic resonance valve represents the selected nuclei extant in the resonance domain .[.impringing.]. .Iadd.impinging .Iaddend.on the specimen.
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Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for analyzing the chemical and structural composition of a specimen including whole-body specimens which may include, for example, living mammals, utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. A magnetic field space necessary to obtain an NMR signal characteristic of the chemical structure of the specimen is focused to provide a resonance domain of selectable size, which may then be moved in a pattern with respect to the specimen to scan the specimen.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of detecting selected nuclei within a specimen utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon comprising:
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(a) providing a .[.nonuniform.]. primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space.]. .Iadd.oriented in a direction Ho .Iaddend.; (b) focusing the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space by a time-independent shaping of the primary static magnetic field space.]. to provide a .Iadd.resultant magnetic field oriented in the Ho direction and having .Iaddend.a three dimensional resonance domain of selectable size .[.wherein.]. .Iadd.within which .Iaddend.the field strength .Iadd.in the direction Ho .Iaddend.is substantially uniform .Iadd.and wherein there are points in the resultant magnetic field not in the resonance domain but having the same field strength in the Ho direction, all said points being in regions of non-uniform field intensity having sufficiently large gradients so as not to generate substantial resonance signals; (c) maintaining the configuration of the resultant field within the resonance domain during generation of a nuclear magnetic resonance signal;
.Iaddend..[.(c).]. .Iadd.(d) .Iaddend.positioning the specimen such that the resonance domain impinges on the specimen; .[.(d).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.directing oscillating magnetic radiation to the resonance domain such that the magnetic field orientation of the oscillating magnetic radiation is orthogonal to the magnetic field orientation of the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field to cause a nuclear magnetic resonance signal to be generated by selected nuclei within the resonance domain; .[.(e).]. (.Iadd.f) .Iaddend.receiving the nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated; and .[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.processing the nuclear magnetic resonance signal to determine a nuclear magnetic resonance value directly which nuclear magnetic resonance valve represents the selected nuclei extant in the resonance domain .[.impringing.]. .Iadd.impinging .Iaddend.on the specimen.
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2. A method of detecting selected nuclei within a specimen utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon comprising:
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(a) providing a .[.nonuniform.]. primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .Iadd.oriented in a direction Ho and .Iaddend.having a known field configuration with a region of uniformity where the field strength is substantially uniform; (b) providing a .[.time-independent.]. focusing .[.static.]. magnetic field having a selectable field configuration with a region of uniformity where the field strength is substantially uniform; (c) superimposing the .[.time-independent.]. focusing .[.static.]. magnetic field on the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field such that the respective regions of uniformity coincide to produce a resulting .[.static.]. magnetic field having a three-dimensional resonance domain located within a region where the regions of uniformity coincide, the field strength of the resulting .[.static.]. magnetic field within the resonance domain being substantially uniform .Iadd.and wherein all points in the resulting magnetic field not in the resonance domain but having the same field strength are in regions of non-uniform field intensity having sufficiently large gradients so as not to generate a nuclear resonance signal;
.Iaddend.(d) maintaining the configuration of the resulting magnetic field within the resonance domain during generation of a nuclear resonance signal; .[.(d) selecting.]. .Iadd.(e) adjusting .Iaddend.the field configuration of the .[.time-independent.]. focusing .[.static.]. magnetic field to .[.adjust.]. .Iadd.select .Iaddend.the size of the resonance domain; .[.(e).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.positioning the specimen such that the resonance domain impinges on the specimen; .[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.directing oscillating magnetic radiation to the resonance domain such that the magnetic field orientation of the oscillating magnetic radiation is orthogonal to the magnetic field orientation of the resulting .[.static.]. magnetic field to cause a nuclear magnetic resonance signal to be generated; .[.(g).]. .Iadd.(h) .Iaddend.receiving the nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated; and .[.(h).]. .Iadd.(i) .Iaddend.processing the signal to determine a nuclear magnetic resonance value directly which nuclear magnetic resonance valve represents the selected nuclei extant in the resonance domain within the specimen. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Nuclear magnetic induction apparatus for detecting selected nuclei within a specimen comprising:
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(a) means for providing a .[.nonuniform.]. primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space.]. .Iadd.oriented in a direction Ho;
.Iaddend.(b) means for focusing the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .[.space by a time-independent shaping of the primary magnetic field space.]. to provide a .Iadd.resultant magnetic field oriented in the Ho direction and having a .Iaddend.three dimensional resonance domain of selectable size wherein the field strength .Iadd.in the direction Ho .Iaddend.is substantially uniform .Iadd.and wherein there are points in the resultant magnetic field is not in the resonance domain but having the same field strength in the Ho direction, all said points being in regions of non-uniform field intensity having sufficiently large gradients so as not to generate substantial resonance signals.Iaddend.; i (.Iadd.c) means for maintaining the configuration of the resultant field within the resonance domain during generation of a nuclear magnetic resonance signal.Iaddend.; .[.(c).]. .Iadd.(d) .Iaddend.means for positioning the specimen such that the resonance domain impinges on the specimen; .[.(d).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.means for directing oscillating magnetic radiation to the resonance domain such that the magnetic field orientation of the oscillating magnetic radiation is orthogonal to the magnetic field orientation of the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field to cause a nuclear magnetic .Iadd.resonance .Iaddend.signal to be generated by selected nuclei within the resonance domain; .[.(e).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.means for receiving the nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated; and .[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.means for processing the nuclear magnetic resonance signal to determine a nuclear magnetic resonance value directly which nuclear magnetic resonance value represents the selected nuclei extant in the resonance domain impinging on the specimen.
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12. Nuclear magnetic induction apparatus for detecting the selected nuclei within a specimen comprising:
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(a) means for providing a .[.nonuniform.]. primary .[.static.]. magnetic field .Iadd.oriented in a direction Ho and .Iaddend.having a known field configuration with a region of uniformity where the field strength is substantially uniform; (b) means for providing a .[.time-independent.]. focusing .[.static.]. magnetic field .Iadd.oriented in the Ho direction .Iaddend.having a selectable field configuration with a region of uniformity where the field strength is substantially uniform; (c) .Iadd.means for .Iaddend.superimposing the .[.time-independent.]. focusing .[.static.]. magnetic field upon the primary .[.static.]. magnetic field such that the respective regions of uniformity coincide to produce a resulting .[.static.]. magnetic field having a three dimensional resonance domain located within a region where the regions of uniformity coincide, the field strength of the resulting .[.static.]. magnetic field within the resonance domain being substantially uniform .Iadd.and wherein all points in the resulting magnetic field not in the resonance domain but having the same field strength are in regions of non-uniform field intensity having sufficiently large gradients so as not to generate resonance signals.Iaddend.; (d) means for maintaining the configuration of the resultant field within the resonance domain during generation of a nuclear magnetic resonance signal; .[.(d).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.means for .[.selecting.]. .Iadd.adjusting .Iaddend.the field configuration of the .[.time-independent.]. focusing .Iadd.static .Iaddend.magnetic field to .[.adjust.]. .Iadd.select .Iaddend.the size of the resonance domain; .[.(e).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.means for positioning the specimen such that the resonance domain impinges on the specimen; .[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.means for directing oscillating magnetic radiation to the resonance domain such that the magnetic field orientation of the oscillating magnetic radiation is orthogonal to the magnetic field orientation of the resulting magnetic field to cause a nuclear magnetic resonance signal to be generated; .[.(g).]. .Iadd.(h) means for .Iaddend.receiving the nuclear magnetic signal generated; and .[.(h).]. .Iadd.(i) means for .Iaddend.processing the signal to determine a nuclear magnetic resonance value directly which nuclear magnetic resonance value represents the selected nuclei extant in the resonance domain within the specimen. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification