Abstract: A trolley system configured to transport a patient within an MRI environment includes a patient support portion, a base portion configured for movement relative to a floor, a lift coupled to the patient support portion and the base portion, an electric motor coupled to the lift, and an electric blower coupled to the patient transfer device. The lift is configured to change the elevation of the patient support portion relative to the base portion. The motor is mounted such that the elevation of the motor is fixed relative to base portion. The trolley system is positionable adjacent an MRI apparatus within the MRI environment and the magnetic field of the MRI does not interfere with the operation of the motor or blower. The trolley system may further include a patient transfer device having an air bearing. The blower is configured to deliver air to the air bearing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 24, 2021
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2023
Assignee:
Qfix Systems, LLC
Inventors:
Daniel Coppens, James Manning, Franklin Ports, Jr.
Abstract: A signal processing method including receiving an original reference radio frequency signal from a receiving antenna group; receiving the time series of the control signal associated with the transmission event of the radio frequency pulses; synchronizing the time series with the original reference radio frequency signal, and determining the echo train in the original reference radio frequency signal in a repetition time of the pulse sequence, wherein the echo train corresponds to the part of the time series associated with the transmission event of the radio frequency pulses in time sequence; setting the sampling points in the domains of the starting point and a first ending point of the echo train; and generating a fitting signal based on the sampling points to eliminate the radio frequency interference signal resulted from the transmission event of the radio frequency pulses.
Abstract: A method a for acquiring magnetic resonance data of an object under examination by means of a magnetic resonance system comprises: in an excitation phase, applying an RF excitation pulse; in a wait phase following the excitation phase, applying at least one first RF refocusing pulse after the applied RF excitation pulse according to a first echo spacing; in an acquisition phase following the wait phase, applying at least two further RF refocusing pulses to generate echo signals according to a second echo spacing, wherein the second echo spacing is smaller than the first echo spacing; and reading out the echo signals generated in the acquisition phase as magnetic resonance data from which image data can be reconstructed, wherein in the wait phase at least two spoiler gradients are switched in the readout direction.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 27, 2021
Date of Patent:
August 22, 2023
Assignee:
Siemens Healthcare GmbH
Inventors:
Nadine Dispenza, Dominik Paul, Mario Zeller
Abstract: A method and apparatus for susceptibility-weighted imaging, and a magnetic resonance imaging system. The method includes, in planar echo imaging of a plurality of excitations, performing flow compensation in directions of layered encoding, phase encoding, and frequency encoding for echoes of each excitation; after determination of excitation each time, when a linear reordering mode is adopted, for excitation each time, collecting each echo towards space k in a positive direction or a negative direction from the central echo of the plurality of echoes, and collecting echoes of the current excitation in a direction opposite to a direction of collecting echoes of the previous excitation; and subjecting the collected echoes to susceptibility-weighted imaging. An aspect of the present disclosure allows a reduction of flow artifacts in an image created by susceptibility-weighted imaging based on a planar echo sequence.
Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner cartridge detachably mountable to a receiving device, the toner cartridge comprising a container including a accommodating portion for accommodating the toner and a discharge opening for discharging the toner from the accommodating portion into the receiving device; and an open/close member including a closing portion for closing the discharge opening and an engaging portion movable relative to the closing portion, the open/close member being rotatable relative to the container between (a) an opening position for causing the closing portion to open the discharge opening and (b) a closing position for causing the closing portion to close the discharge opening, wherein the engaging portion is movable relative to the closing portion between (c) a engaging position for engagement with the receiving device to receive a force for moving the open/close member from the opening position to the closing position when the toner cartridge is d
Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the envelope; a third hardware processor that determines, in case the first hardware processor judges that the recording medium is the envelope, control for forming an image on the envelope by the image former on the basis of the basis weight of the envelope acquired by the second hardware processor.
Abstract: In a method and system for acquiring measurement data reference data for a phase correction of the measurement data, a RF excitation pulse is provided to excite spins in the object under examination, one or more RF refocusing pulses are provided to refocus the spins excited by the RF excitation pulse, measurement data is acquired by recording echo signals of refocused spins excited by the RF excitation pulse by switching readout gradients that alternate in their polarity, at least two echo signals are recorded while switching readout gradients with different polarity acquire reference data, chronologically between the providing of the RF excitation pulse and the acquisition of the measurement data, and correction data is determined for phase correction of phase errors contained in the measurement data based on the acquired reference data.
Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry configured, on a basis of one or both of (A) a parameter related to applying one of inversion and flip pulses and (B) an intensity of a slice selecting gradient magnetic field applied together with the one of the pulses in relation to selecting a slice to which the one of the pulses is applied, to determine one or both of (A) a parameter related to applying the other of the inversion and (B) flip pulses; and an intensity of the slice selecting gradient magnetic field applied together with the other of the pulses in relation to selecting a slice to which the other of the pulses is applied.
Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a device and a magnetic resonance system for concentrating a magnetic field of radio frequency signals, and methods for concentrating a magnetic field of as radio frequency signal in an object to be imaged.
Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtains a first g factor generated by using first magnetic resonance data acquired through a first parallel imaging process performed by using a plurality of reception coils and a second g factor generated by using second magnetic resonance data related to a second parallel imaging process performed by using the plurality of reception coils. The second parallel imaging process is different from the first parallel imaging process. The processing circuitry adjusts the first g factor so as to reduce a difference between the first g factor and the second g factor.
Abstract: The present invention relates to the locally resolved examination of objects by means of magnetic resonance (MR) and relates specifically to a less motion-artifact prone method for navigated multi-shot acquisition of diffusion-weighted image data using moment-nulled magnetic field gradients for diffusion encoding. The invention further relates to an apparatus for performing the method.
Abstract: A fat saturation method for a magnetic resonance imaging system having a main magnet providing a magnetic field B0 The method includes: driving a shim coil assembly with a first set of shimming currents to sufficiently alter a B0 field inhomogeneity of the magnetic field B0 within a region that includes a first imaging volume of interest such that water saturation inside the region is reduced from before the first set of shimming currents are applied; applying a fat saturation pulse to the region; identifying the first imaging volume of interest from the region; driving the shim coil assembly with a second set of shimming currents to alter the B0 field inhomogeneity of the magnetic field B0 within the first imaging volume of interest such that the B0 field inhomogeneity within the first imaging volume of interest is reduced; and obtaining magnetic resonance signals from the first imaging volume of interest.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 7, 2021
Date of Patent:
June 27, 2023
Inventors:
Philip J. Beatty, Chad Tyler Harris, Curtis Nathan Wiens
Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging corrects non-stationary off-resonance image artifacts. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus performs an imaging acquisition using non-Cartesian trajectories and processes the imaging acquisitions to produce a final image. The processing includes reconstructing a complex-valued image and using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to correct for non-stationary off-resonance artifacts in the image. The CNN is preferably a residual network with multiple residual layers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 9, 2018
Date of Patent:
June 20, 2023
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
Inventors:
David Y. Zeng, Dwight G Nishimura, Shreyas S. Vasanawala, Joseph Y. Cheng
Abstract: A method for recording a magnetic resonance image data set includes providing a magnetic resonance sequence. The magnetic resonance sequence includes at least one radio-frequency pulse and a slice-selection gradient pulse applied during or before the radio-frequency pulse, which is configured as non-constant. The method includes providing at least one correction term for compensating a magnetic field change of the slice-selection gradient pulse. The magnetic field change is ascertained via a transfer characteristic of the gradient system of the magnetic resonance system. The method also includes recording at least one magnetic resonance image data set with the magnetic resonance sequence using the correction term.
Abstract: MR fingerprinting method in which an MR pulse sequence succession is output multiple times. The MR pulse sequence succession has MR pulse sequences of a same type output successively in time and differing in terms of a pulse sequence parameter that is varied according to a predefined scheme. During the first output, raw data from a region of interest (ROI) of an object is acquired in a short time interval by the raw data being acquired at a low information density. The total information density of the acquisition is increased with each repetition of the output. After the acquisition, image data from the ROI is reconstructed based on the acquired raw data. MR-parameter value datasets associated with reference image data and having MR parameter values, are determined by comparing the reconstructed image data with the reference image data. MR parameter maps are determined based on the determined MR parameter values.
Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling a fleet of MR-scanner systems by means of a user interface. Each MR scanner system in the fleet of MR scanner systems comprises a hardware layer having a plurality of electronically controllable components and mechanical components to perform an MR measurement and capture MR-scanner raw data, a Measurement And Reconstruction System (MARS) computing unit configured to implement a measurement framework using a sequence to calculate real-time instructions and transmit these instructions to the components of the hardware layer for controlling the MR-scanner system, and a communication interface for communicating with an external device. Each MR scanner system has system attributes, which are transmitted to the external device via the communication interface.
Abstract: In a method for recording diffusion-weighted measurement data, using a MR system with diffusion weightings with two+ different b-values, diffusion directions and diffusion weightings with the associated b-values to be used for the desired recordings are loaded, a sequence of recordings of measurement data to be recorded consecutively are determined by sorting the diffusion directions and diffusion weightings to be recorded based on their associated b-value, such that the b-value of a recording of measurement data is less than the b-value of the immediately preceding recording of measurement data by no more than a predetermined threshold value, and the recordings are recorded based on the determined sequence. By arranging diffusion encodings for the desired recordings to be used consecutively, abrupt discontinuities in the b-values used chronologically are prevented, thereby eddy current effects from preceding recordings have time to abate in the case of recordings with small b-values.
Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for capturing scan data of an examination object via a magnetic resonance system. The techniques include capturing a first set of a diffusion-weighted scan data by excitation and, in an acquisition phase, acquiring a first echo signal, wherein before the acquisition phase in a diffusion preparation phase, diffusion gradients are switched for diffusion encoding of the scan data, The techniques additionally include capturing a second set of non-diffusion-weighted scan data by excitation and, in an acquisition phase, acquiring a second echo signal, wherein before the acquisition phase, in a diffusion preparation phase, the same diffusion gradients are switched as are switched for diffusion encoding of the scan data of the first set of diffusion-weighted scan data, although they have no influence on the second echo signal. Diffusion-weighted and non-diffusion-weighted scan data is thereby captured, having identical disturbances caused by eddy currents induced by switched gradients.
Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner cartridge detachably mountable to a receiving device, the toner cartridge comprising a container including a accommodating portion for accommodating the toner and a discharge opening for discharging the toner from the accommodating portion into the receiving device; and an open/close member including a closing portion for closing the discharge opening and an engaging portion movable relative to the closing portion, the open/close member being rotatable relative to the container between (a) an opening position for causing the closing portion to open the discharge opening and (b) a closing position for causing the closing portion to close the discharge opening, wherein the engaging portion is movable relative to the closing portion between (c) a engaging position for engagement with the receiving device to receive a force for moving the open/close member from the opening position to the closing position when the toner cartridge is d
Abstract: In a method for correcting influences on magnetic resonance imaging of an examination object caused by fluctuations in a basic magnetic field, an MR data set is generated for two or more measurement periods, and a regression analysis is performed. Each of the MR data sets may contain at least one two-dimensional individual data set. The regression analysis may determine at least one phase correction value for a measurement period to be corrected. Two or more different individual data sets may be taken into account in the analysis. An MR image may generated based on the MR data sets and the at least one phase correction value.