Abstract: Apparatus and method for hemoglobin measurement including irradiating light to a living body, detecting light that has propagated through the living body, and acquiring measured data that represents a change in the concentration of oxidized hemoglobin in the living body and a change in the concentration of deoxidized hemoglobin; irradiating light to the living body, detecting light that has propagated through the living body, and acquiring measured data that represents a change in the concentration of oxidized hemoglobin in the living body and a change in the concentration of deoxidized hemoglobin; classifying the data measured at the first step and the data measured at the second step according to each of an increase or a decrease in the concentration of oxidized hemoglobin and an increase or a decrease in the concentration of deoxidized hemoglobin; and displaying the classifications determined at the third step.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which vibration of a gradient magnetic field coil is reduced, the vibration is not transmitted to a static magnetic field correcting unit, and the space can be saved. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A tabular gradient magnetic field generating unit is placed over each opposing surface of support member therebetween. A static magnetic field correcting unit for correcting the uniformity of the static magnetic field is placed between the static magnetic field generating unit and the gradient magnetic field generating unit. The static magnetic field correcting unit is a tabular shim tray provided with magnetic body pieces for correcting the uniformity of the static magnetic field, and is placed over each of the pair of the opposing surfaces of static magnetic field generating units, with a second supporting member therebetween.

Abstract: In processing of measurement data of each slab obtained by 3D-TOF multi-slab measurement, data in the overlapped portion of the slabs are weighted and added for each slice position. The weight function is calculated based on parameters set previously and is the same as the slab profile or an approximation curve thereof. The weighted and added data are normalized and reconstructed to obtain images. In the obtained image, signal difference between slabs can be suppressed.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system includes a lower body which has a flat upper surface, and contains a first magnetic pole, an upper body which has a lower surface disposed in opposed relation to the upper surface of the lower body, and contains a second magnetic pole, a bed disposed adjacent to the lower body, and a pair of support posts which are provided respectively on right and left sides of the lower body, and interconnect the lower body and the upper body. A space, formed between the lower surface of the upper body and the upper surface of the lower body, is open at least toward the bed between the pair of right and left support posts.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system includes a lower body which has a flat upper surface, and contains a first magnetic pole, an upper body which has a lower surface disposed in opposed relation to the upper surface of the lower body, and contains a second magnetic pole, a bed disposed adjacent to the lower body, and a pair of support posts which are provided respectively on right and left sides of the lower body, and interconnect the lower body and the upper body. A space, formed between the lower surface of the upper body and the upper surface of the lower body, is open at least toward the bed between the pair of right and left support posts.

Abstract: To achieve a high resolution, by modifying a delay time distribution of received waves with correlation computations between signals from adjacent elements and by removing influences of inhomogeneities in a living body with a simple computing circuit for correlation factors.

Abstract: A computed-tomography apparatus acquires a cross-sectional image of an object from projection data obtained by scanning the object with radiation while rotating a scanner around the object. One of rotation positions of the scanner having a smaller attenuation of radiation is determined. The operation of the scanner is controlled to start the scan from the rotation position having the smaller attenuation. Individual weights are assigned to projection data in a predetermined rotation angle range near a scan start rotation position of the scanner and near a scan end rotation position thereof and projection data in a rotation angle range opposite to the predetermined rotation angle range, respectively. The weighted projection data and unweighted projection data are used for determining corrected data for the entire circumference of the object to generate a cross-sectional image based thereon.

Abstract: A discrimination method of speckle noises in an ultrasonic tomography apparatus, includes a step of scanning a predetermined area of an object to be examined by an ultrasonic wave and receiving an ultrasonic echo signal from the object, a step of producing a digital echo signal on the basis of the ultrasonic echo signal to store it in a memory unit, a step of reading out the echo signals of a plurality of fields obtained by a plurality of continuous scanning operations from the memory unit, a step of statistically processing the echo signals at the same pixel position of the plurality of fields to obtain a judgment value and a step of comparing the judgment value with a predetermined reference value to decide in accordance with the compared result whether the echo signals of the statistically processed pixel contain speckle noises or not.

Abstract: An RF probe for MRI, in which a plurality of unit coils including conductive loops having resonance capacitors and inductors connected with the conductive loops in series are arranged so as to be distant from each other with a predetermined distance, electromagnetic coupling being produced between at least two inductors to remove electromagnetic coupling between the unit coils.

Abstract: An object is repeatedly excited by a 90-degree pulse and a plurality of spin echoes are obtained by a 180-degree pulse each time the excitation is repeated. The spin echoes are differently phase-encoded and the spin echoes thus generated are assigned to a substantial half portion of a raw image data space in a phase-encoding direction, the remaining substantial half of data being estimated from the data in that portion. The data covering the raw image data space are used to produce a corresponding image of the object.

Abstract: To accomplish double-slice imaging by a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging apparatus having an ordinary radio frequency magnetic field generator, two radio frequency magnetic field waveforms are used and slices are separated by subsequent calculation. More definitely, two slice portions are excited in a REAL direction by a COS waveform and are excited in an IMAG direction by a SIN waveform. When one of the slices is S1 with the other being S2, the signal SC when the COS waveform is used is S1+S2 while the signal SS when the SIN waveform is used is i.S1-i.S2. Therefore, the calculation for separating the slices proves SC+i.SS and SC-i.SS. The present invention can avoid the increase in the production cost of the apparatus due to the addition of hardwares.

Abstract: A data processing method for image reconstruction in an NMR apparatus for use in the medical field which reduces a computation quantity relating to data extrapolation when truncation artifacts are reduced by data extrapolation. The data processing method is utilized with an inspection apparatus including a magnetic field generation apparatus for generating each of a static magnetic field, gradient magnetic field and RF magnetic field, a signal detection device for detecting NMR signals from an inspection object, a computer for computing detection signals of the signal detection device and for outputting the result of computation by the computer, for obtaining an image by effecting inverse Fourier transform for a measurement signal row representing data of spatial frequency space.

Abstract: A method of displaying and cutting out a region of interest. Upon depicting contour lines indicating regions of interest, respectively, on a display screen, the regions of interest are displayed with contour lines differing from one region to another in accordance with the order in which the regions of interest are designated. The contour displayed is scanned in the four directions leftward, rightward, upward and downward. For the inaccessible regions which are located outside of the contour and which could not have been reached by the scanning line, one of the upward and downward scannings and one of the leftward and rightward scannings are repeated until the inaccessible regions are no longer present.

Abstract: A magnetostatic field generator for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a pair of permanent magnets each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape arranged perpendicular to a direction of a uniform magnetic field to surround a space where a uniform magnetic field is generated, a plurality of first permanent magnets each having a trigonal prism shape arranged on both sides of an area between the permanent magnets each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a plurality of second permanent magnets each having a trigonal prism shape which are arranged between the permanent magnets each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and the first permanent magnets and satisfy magnetic field boundary conditions between the permanent magnets each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and the first permanent magnets, and a yoke for holding the pair of permanent magnets each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the plurality of first permanent magnets, and the plurality of second permanent magnets

Abstract: A medical diagnosis image display method comprising the steps of transforming respective three-dimensional image information on a skull of a subject patient to be examined and diagnosed and skin covering the outer surface of the skull; obtaining respective two-dimensional image information on the respective three-dimensional images of the skull and skin viewed according to the same viewing perspective and storing the two-dimensional image information in a memory; displaying one item of the two-dimensional image information, for example, the two-dimensional image of the skull, and designating part of the displayed image information to be cut out, and automatically reading out the corresponding skin image information of the area corresponding to the designated cut out part; and displaying the read out skin image information in the cut out part of the image of the skull already displayed.

Abstract: A signal receiving coil device for an MRI apparatus, to be fitted to a patient for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals, comprising a coil member assuming a substantially cylindrical shape when fitted to the patient and having at least one flexible section and at least one rigid section disposed sequentially and alternately in a circumferential direction of said cylindrical shape; a first coil unit disposed on the coil holding member, and having a signal receiving direction thereof crossing substantially orthogonally the direction of a static magnetic field generated by the MRI apparatus when the coil holding member is fitted to the patient; and a second coil system disposed on the coil holding member, and having a signal receiving direction of reception thereof crossing substantially orthogonally both of the direction of the static magnetic field and the signal receiving direction of the first coil unit when the coil holding member is fitted to the patient.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprises an ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving unit for transmitting ultrasonic signals to a subject and receiving reflected echo signals reflected from the subject; a unit for controlling the ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving unit such that the ultrasonic signals repetitively scan the subject at a predetermined scan period; an image memory unit for storing a plurality of image data pieces; a detection unit for detecting biophysical signals of the subject; a unit for setting a reference timing on the basis of the biophysical signals; an image display unit for displaying an image corresponding to the image data piece being delivered out of the image memory unit, the image display unit displaying the image at a predetermined display unit; a unit for controlling the image memory unit so as to store the plurality of image data pieces based on the reflected echo signals, wherein the plurality of image data pieces respectively correspond to two-dimensional images of the s

Abstract: A first sectional image corresponding to a first section of an object to be examined is displayed on a screen of a display device. A position of a first line on the first sectional image is designated. First data corresponding to a distance between the first line and a center of the screen is obtained. A second sectional image corresponding to a second section of the object is displayed on the screen. The second section crosses the first section on a line on the first section corresponding to the position of the first line. A position of a second line on the second sectional image is designated. A position of a first point contained in the position of the second line is designated. Second data corresponding to a component in the direction of the second line is obtained. The component is a component of the distance between the first point and the center of the screen.

Abstract: This invention provides a delay circuit capable of electrically varying the delay amount comprising a first transistor for receiving a signal to be delayed from the base connected to an input terminal and outputting a positive phase signal and a negative phase signal with respect to the signal from the input terminal, respectively from the emitter and the collector thereof; two variable capacity diodes with their terminals of the same polarity connected together and a specified control voltage applied to the point of said connection, one end of the connected diodes being connected to the emitter of said first transistor; a second transistor with the base grounded, the emitter connected to the collector of the above-mentioned first transistor, and the collector connected to one end of a specified resistance; and a delayed signal output terminal having connected thereto the other end of the two variable capacity diodes and the other end of the specified resistance.

Abstract: A magnetic field generating apparatus for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, including soft ferrite disposed adjacently to a gradient magnetic field coil which is disposed in a gap and serves to form a static magnetic field. The soft ferrite has saturated magnetic flux density (Rs) more than 0.4 T, coersive force (He) less than 50 A/m, and specific resistance .rho. more than 10.sup.-5 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. The magnetic field generating apparatus thus constructed has a magnetic circuit arrangement that a pair of permanent magnetic bodies which are disposed so as to confront each other and define the gap are magnetically connected through a yoke, and pole pieces are fixedly secured to the surfaces of the respective permanent magnetic bodies facing the gap, thereby generating the magnetic field in the gap.