Abstract: Low field SQUID MRI devices, components and methods are disclosed. They include a portable low field (SQUID)-based MRI instrument and a portable low field SQUID-based MRI system to be operated under a bed where a subject is adapted to be located. Also disclosed is a method of distributing wires on an image encoding coil system adapted to be used with an NMR or MRI device for analyzing a sample or subject and a second order superconducting gradiometer adapted to be used with a low field SQUID-based MRI device as a sensing component for an MRI signal related to a subject or sample.

Abstract: The receive coil arrangement includes an inner local volume coil adjacent the part to be imaged so as to maximize the received MR signal and an outer coil, which may be the built in body coil of the magnet, connected by cable to the signal processing system. Both the coils are individually tuned to the common resonant frequency and the local volume coil include an arrangement to halt current flow therein during the transmit stage. The local volume coil has no cable and is arranged to communicate the MR signal therein to the signal processing system through the outer coil by inductive coupling to the outer coil. Despite inherent losses by interfering with the tuning of the loops and in the inductive coupling this magnifies the MR signal and makes the local volume coil wireless.

Abstract: A system improves accuracy of blood flow peak velocity measurements as well as the speed and precision of an MR data acquisition workflow. A system for blood flow velocity determination in MR imaging comprises an MR imaging system. The MR imaging system acquires a three dimensional (3D) MR imaging dataset of a patient anatomical volume of interest and a one dimensional (1D) MR imaging dataset within the volume of interest automatically aligned in response to 3D vector directional information. An image data processor derives the 3D vector directional information by, deriving velocity magnitude data using the acquired 3D MR imaging dataset, identifying maximum velocity data using the derived velocity magnitude data and transforming the identified maximum velocity data to provide the 3D vector directional information. A calculation processor uses the acquired 1D MR imaging dataset to calculate a blood flow velocity in a direction determined by the 3D vector directional information.

Abstract: A simple connection of a coil with a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) is facilitated by a method and an adapter wherein a coil-connection element of at least one local coil is connected with an MRT-connection element of an MRT system. The adapter has a coil-connection element adapter designed to form a connection with at least one coil-connection element of at least one local coil. The adapter also has at least one MRT-connection element adapter designed to form a connection with an MRT-connection element of an MRT system. The adapter can be fixed mechanically to a fixing element of the MRT system.

Abstract: In a method and a magnetic resonance apparatus for determining k-space positions for modeling RF pulses for exciting nuclear spins in a magnetic resonance sequence, a target magnetization is selected and a deviation thereof from a current achievable magnetization is determined. At least one maximum is localized in a spectrum of the deviation in k-space, and the k-space position of the localized maximum is stored, from which current pulse coefficients are determined that cause an optimal current magnetization to be achieved. This procedure is repeated until a termination criterion is satisfied, with the current pulse coefficients determined in this terminating repetition being used to generate an RF pulse to excite nuclear spins in a subject in the magnetic resonance sequence.

Abstract: In a magnetic resonance a method and apparatus to generate images by a parallel acquisition technique, a first echo train is generated after a first excitation pulse, wherein the first echo train sufficiently densely scans a segment of k-space to be scanned for an acquisition of coil calibration data. Coil calibration data are acquired by means of the first echo train after the first excitation pulse. The acquired coil calibration data are stored in a coil calibration data set. A second echo train is generated after a second excitation pulse, wherein the second echo train undersamples a segment of k-space to be scanned for an acquisition of image data. Image data are acquired by means of the second echo train after the second excitation pulse. The acquired image data are stored in an incomplete image data set. An image data set is generated by substituting data missing in the incomplete image data set due to the undersampling by means of a selected PAT reconstruction technique using the coil calibration data.

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) tomographic image of a target object such as soft-tissue in humans is obtained in the method and apparatus of the present invention. The target object is first magnetized by a polarizing magnetic field pulse. The magnetization of the object is specified by a 3D spatial Magnetic Density image (MDI). The magnetic field due to the magnetized Object is measured in a 3D volume space that extends in all directions Including substantially along the radial direction, not just on a surface as in prior art. This measured data includes additional information overlooked in prior art and this data is processed to obtain a more accurate 3 D image reconstruction in lesser time than in prior art. The methods and apparatuses of the present invention are combined with frequency and phase encoding techniques of Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) technique in prior art to achieve different trade-offs.

Abstract: A device has a first control loop (28) with which a frequency RF of an RF generator is synchronized with a resonance frequency F0 of an NMR line. A phase shifter (22) is provided to rotate the radio frequency phase of the NMR receiver system in the first control loop. The phase shifter is controlled by a second control loop (27) whose input signal comes from a signal extraction stage.

Abstract: A system acquires frequency domain components representing MR image data. An RF coil emits RF pulses for use in acquiring multiple individual frequency components corresponding to individual data elements in a 3D storage array in which the individual frequency components are successively acquired along radii from a designated center representing an origin to a boundary of the storage array. Angles of successive radii with respect to the origin are successively changed to substantially fill the storage array volume during acquisition of an MR dataset representing an MR image. A computation processor determines the angles of successive radii with respect to the origin, in response to data representing a reduction in at least one dimension of the 3D imaging volume represented by the storage array. A storage processor stores individual frequency components, acquired using the emitted RF pulses, in corresponding individual data elements in the array.

Abstract: A system for parallel image processing in MR imaging uses multiple MR imaging RF coils to individually receive MR imaging data representing a slice of patient anatomy. An MR imaging system uses the multiple RF coils to acquire corresponding multiple image data sets of the slice. A coil selection processor determines a prioritized ranking of the multiple RF coils by ranking individual coils of the multiple RF coils based on correlation with remaining coils of the multiple RF coils. The correlation being determined by determining degree of correlation of image data sets acquired by respective coils of the multiple RF coils. The coil selection processor selects a subset of the multiple RF coils using the ranking. An image generator generates a composite MR image using image data sets provided by the selected subset of the multiple RF coils excluding image data sets provide by remaining coils of the multiple RF coils.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) coil array includes a plurality of RF coil sections arranged in a superior-inferior direction. Each RF coil section includes a first linear coil element, a loop-saddle coil quadrature pair and a second linear coil element configured in an overlapping arrangement in a left-right direction. The position of the first linear coil element and the second linear coil element on the left and right may be shifted in the superior-inferior direction with respect to the center loop-saddle coil quadrature pair.

Abstract: A battery protection device for disconnecting a plurality of batteries from an inverter to avoid excessive discharge. The device comprises at least one battery connector for connecting to the plurality of batteries, at least one inverter cable for connecting to the inverter, and a plurality of wires for connecting to an AC input. The device gets activated when the AC input to the inverter cuts off and continuously monitors a voltage level of the batteries. Further, the device automatically disconnects the batteries from the inverter at a preset voltage level and shuts itself off to achieve a protection mode wherein the device does not draw any current to avoid further drainage of the batteries. A voltage level of the device is set above a preset voltage for recharging batteries and when the AC input is restored, the device reconnects the batteries to the inverter.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing apparatus and method that determines the speed and direction of gears or slotted targets. A magnet can be placed proximate to the slotted target to create a magnetic field. An integrated circuit is formed on a substrate containing two or more magnetoresistive sensors occupying the same area. This integrated circuit is biased from the magnet which is placed in close proximity. The magnetoresistive sensors are intertwined with the first magnetoresistive sensor, offset from the second magnetoresistive sensor. The magnetoresistive sensors produce phase shifted output signals representing magnetic flux flowing through the magnetoresistive sensors such that the magnetoresistive sensors are reactive to gap and angular changes in the circular track of the ferrous target. The phase shift of the signals needed to determine direction is sufficiently maintained for a variety of target feature sizes and spacing.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic resonance data acquisition unit and a cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit. The magnetic resonance data acquisition unit consecutively acquires a plurality of magnetic resonance data for generating a plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data, each corresponding to a different data acquisition time, after a labeling pulse is applied. The cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit generates the plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data based on the plurality of magnetic resonance data.

Abstract: A laboratory NMR methodology (and corresponding laboratory apparatus) defines a sample volume. The method stores downhole tool data corresponding to a hydrocarbon-bearing sample collected from a given subsurface formation. The downhole tool data includes parameters pertaining to magnetic fields used by a downhole tool during a suite of NMR measurements of the given subsurface formation. The sample is positioned in the sample volume of the laboratory apparatus, which applies a static magnetic field in the sample volume. Furthermore, the laboratory apparatus applies a suite of NMR measurements to the sample volume to thereby determine a property of the sample. The NMR measurements of the suite each include a pulse sequence of oscillating magnetic field in conjunction with a pulsed-mode gradient field. The pulsed-mode gradient field is based on the stored downhole tool data corresponding to the sample. A laboratory NMR methodology for optimizing downhole NMR measurements is also described.

Abstract: An upconverter has a two port parametric amplifier that has a first port to receive an input signal to be amplified and upconverted and a second port to receive a local oscillator signal and to output the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The upconverter further has an antenna coupled to the second port to receive the local oscillator signal and transmit the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies and a low noise amplifier at the first port of the parametric amplifier, which is powered by the local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system upconverter stage has a number of local coils and a number of upconverters to receive a signal from an output of each coil. Each upconverter has a number of two port upconverter cores, each core having a first port to receive a signal from a local coil and a second port to output an upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies through an antenna coupled to the second port. The inputs of the plurality of upconverter cores are connected in parallel, and at least one antenna is associated with the second port of each core.

Abstract: An upconverter has a two port parametric amplifier that has a first port to receive an input signal to be amplified and upconverted and a second port to receive a local oscillator signal and to output the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The upconverter further has an antenna coupled to the second port and a power splitter inserted between the second port of the parametric amplifier and the antenna.

Abstract: In a magnetic resonance (MR) method and apparatus for the acquisition of a first image data set and a second image data set of an examination subject, a series of excitation pulses is radiated into the examination subject, and after each excitation pulse, a first echo signal is detected after a first echo time TE1 and a second echo signal is detected after a second echo time TE2, with TE2 greater than TE1, and the first echo signal is entered in a first raw MR data set and the second echo signal is entered in a second raw MR data set. A first image data set is acquired from the first MR data set on the basis of magnitude information contained in the first MR data set. A second image data set is acquired from the second MR data set on the basis of phase information contained in the second MR data set. The first and second image data sets are stored on at least one memory device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and methods for determining the initiation and/or the termination of an autonomous in vivo imaging procedure, such as by a capsule imaging the gastro intestinal tract.