MR imaging magnet with body coil illuminating the imaging bore

• US 7,999,546 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Trowell, Stephen Paul, Tigwell, Neil Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval; Melissa J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetzner; Tiffany A
• Application Number:
  US12/375,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 324300-322, 600/410, 600/411, 600/422, 600/423, 333219-235, 362/551, 362/253, 382128-131
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/28 Details of apparatus provided for in groups G01R33/44 - G01R33/64

Abstract

An imaging magnet has a patient bore for receiving a human or animal patient, including a body coil assembly having a body coil former and a body coil. The body coil assembly is provided with at least one source of light that is incorporated within the body coil assembly, and embedded within the body coil former, that radiates light into the patient bore.

Claims

1. An MRI imaging magnet having a patient bore configured for receiving a human or animal patient, comprising a body coil assembly located inside said patient bore, said body coil assembly comprising

a body coil former comprised of

coil former material and having a radially inner surface that faces the patient, and

having a body coil supported by said coil former material,

said body coil assembly also having at least one source of light incorporated within the body coil assembly and embedded in the body coil former material, that radiates light into the patient bore, with said at least one source of light not mechanically protecting into said bore beyond said radially inner surface of the coil former, and

said at least one light source of light being located between said body coil and said radially inner surface of the coil former.

2. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein the body coil former is of a translucent or opalescent material.

3. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein the body coil former material is a transparent material.

4. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 3 wherein a translucent treatment or coating is applied to said radially inner surface of the body coil former.

5. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein the source of light comprises a light emitting diode (LED) with a translucent or opalescent layer located between the LED and the patient bore.

6. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein the least one source of light comprises at least one thin film display.

7. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 6 wherein the thin film display is an electroluminescent display.

8. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein the least one source of light comprises a photoluminescent material.

9. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 comprising optical fibers within the material of the bore tube former.

10. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 1 wherein said at least one source of light comprises at least one thin film display retained on a radially outer surface of said body coil former, and disposed radially within said body coil.

11. An MRI imaging magnet having a patient bore configured for receiving a human or animal patient, comprising a body coil assembly within the bore of the magnet that receives the patient within the body coil assembly, the body coil assembly comprising translucent material and a body coil embedded in said translucent material, and a source of light also embedded in the translucent material, said source of light radiating light that proceeds through said translucent material in order to make the radiated light visible in the patient bore.

12. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 11 wherein the source of light comprises a light emitting diode (LED) with a translucent or opalescent layer located between the LED and the patient bore.

13. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 11 wherein the least one source of light comprises at least one thin film display.

14. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 13 wherein the thin film display is an electroluminescent display.

15. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 11 wherein the least one source of light comprises a photoluminescent material.

16. An MRI imaging magnet according to claim 11 comprising optical fibers within the material of the bore tube former.