Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can include use of an electrical transceiver coil system comprising an array of segmented loops. The array can be arranged about a portion of an imaging subject and arranged to provide surgical access to a region of the imaging subject from at least one direction. The segmented loops can establish a volumetric radio frequency (RF) excitation field across a volume-of-interest associated with the imaging subject in response to the segmented loops receiving specified transmit phases providing a non-90-degree relative phase between segmented coil loops at adjacent ones of the segmented loops. All or at least some of the segmented loops can provide outputs indicative of an RF signal from the imaging subject, the RF signal elicited in response to RF excitation. The transceiver coil system can facilitate pre-operative, intra-operative, or post-operative MR imaging, such as facilitating access for a surgical procedure.

Abstract: In MR imaging in a suite of rooms including a diagnostic room and a second surgical room, the magnet includes a diagnostic table separable from a docking station of the magnet and the second room includes a second surgical table. An imaging control computer controls operation of the imaging system and a movement control computer controls operation of the magnet moving system and the patient support table. During imaging in the surgical room, the diagnostic table is separated and docked at a secondary docking station while an emulating computer system cooperate with the imaging control computer system by emulating outputs from the disconnected diagnostic table for controlling operation of the imaging system.

Abstract: Apparatus for radiation therapy combines a patient table, an MRI and a radiation treatment apparatus mounted in a common treatment room with the MR magnet movable through a radiation shielded door to an imaging position. An initial MR image and an initial X-ray image is used to generate an RT program for the patient to be carried out in a plurality of separate treatment steps. Before carrying out the procedure, a registration step is performed using a phantom by which X-ray images are registered relative to MR images to generate a transformation algorithm required to align the MR images of the part of the patient relative to the X-ray images. Prior to each separate treatment step a current MR image of the part of the patient is obtained and the transformation algorithm data is used from the current MR image is used in guiding the RT treatment step.

Abstract: A head clamp for Magnetic Resonance and X-ray imaging is generally C-shaped including a base and two legs carrying pin clamp members. A course and fine adjustment system allows one of the clamp members to move inwardly relative to the other and then to be finely adjusted so as to apply a clamping force to the skull. The C-shaped support member comprises a truss with a C-shaped inner band adjacent the skull, an outer band generally following the shape of inner band and a plurality of openings defining spaced bars between the inner band and the outer band. The adjustment system comprises a screw that adjusts the width of the C-shaped member at the base and at one leg and includes a gauge to measure force applied with the mechanism located outside the field of view of the head both vertically and horizontally.

Abstract: An MRI phase RF coil array includes a plurality of separate RF coil elements where each coil element has a pre-amplifier circuit with a conditioning circuit in advance of the transistor including an inductor and capacitors connected across the input of preamplifier. Each of the coil elements has a preamplifier decoupling parallel resonant circuit for generating a tuned high impedance across the ends of the coil so as to inhibit coupling in the coil from signals in adjacent and non-adjacent coils of the array. The decoupling circuit comprises a fixed first capacitor across the ends, a second variable capacitor in one of the leads, a further capacitor in the conditioning circuit, all of which define a capacitance which co-operates with the inductance defined by the inductor of the conditioning circuit of preamplifier to form the parallel resonant circuit to generate the high impedance.

Abstract: Signals in an RF field, such as that of an MRI system, are communicated through an inner conductor having an outer shield with a dielectric material therebetween and an outer cable jacket. Current in the shield caused by the RF field from the transmit body coil is reduced by providing a second dielectric material around the shield conductor and a plurality of segmented shield conductor portions formed of non-magnetic braid or wrapped non-magnetic foil tape outside the second dielectric material and inside the jacket at spaced positions along the cable, with the portions being electrically separated from each other and from the shield so that the segmented shield conductor portions act to shield the outer shield conductor to reduce the generation of current thereon while the electrical separation of the segmented shield conductor portions each from the others prevents the generation of a current along the portions.

Abstract: A patient table for a common imaging system including Magnetic Resonance and X-ray retains the patient stationary in position prior to, during and subsequent to the imaging and includes a base, a patient support portion cantilevered from the base and a mattress. The RF posterior coil portions for the head and for the chest can be inserted into and removed from an operating position underneath the head and chest of the patient while patient remains supported. The chest coil is inserted from one edge in a cavity in the mattress which is reinforced by a sleeve. The signal communication cable from the chest coil is routed in front of the mattress and over the mattress so as to not to be exposed at the sides. The head coil is carried on a base plate of the patient support alongside the head support which remains in place.

Abstract: In MR imaging of a body part of a patient in an intra-operative procedure, the body part is supported using gel pads where the gel material is arranged such that the presence of the gel material does not generate an image in the analysis of the RF signal from the location so that the pad is invisible in the MR image. This can be obtained by using a water based gel material and providing an additive such as manganese chloride to reduce the relaxation time of the water molecules to a value which is sufficiently short that the molecules relax before the acquisition of the signals by the RF receive coil. This can be achieved by using a non-water based gel or a heavy water based gel.