Patents by Inventor Guenter Schnur

Guenter Schnur has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10036790
    Abstract: APD-based PET modules are provided for use in combined PET/MR imaging. Each module includes a number of independent, optically isolated detectors. Each detector includes an array of scintillator (e.g. LSO) crystals read out by an array of APDs. The modules are positioned in the tunnel of a MR scanner. Simultaneous, artifact-free images can be acquired with the APD-based PET and MR system resulting in a high-resolution and cost-effective integrated PET/MR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias J. Schmand, Ronald Grazioso, Ronald Nutt, Robert E. Nutt, Nan Zhang, James L. Corbeil, Ralf Ladebeck, Marcus Vester, Günter Schnur, Wolfgang Renz, Hubertus Fischer, Bernd J. Pichler
  • Publication number: 20160291108
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance (MR) system and method for determining an MR system frequency for a region to be examined that has multiple materials therein, a first frequency spectrum is acquired by the execution of a first RF excitation sequence. A second frequency spectrum for the region is acquired by radiation of an RF inversion pulse and execution of a second RF excitation sequence, at the point in time at which the relaxation curve of one of the materials has a zero-crossing. Subsequently, echo signals excited by the second RF excitation sequence are read out, from which a frequency spectrum is determined. The first frequency spectrum and the second frequency spectrum are compared. On the basis of the comparison, maxima of the first frequency spectrum are allocated to different materials. The system frequency is determined on the basis of the allocation of the maxima.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Niederloehner, Guenter Schnur
  • Publication number: 20150369890
    Abstract: APD-based PET modules are provided for use in combined PET/MR imaging. Each module includes a number of independent, optically isolated detectors. Each detector includes an array of scintillator (e.g. LSO) crystals read out by an array of APDs. The modules are positioned in the tunnel of a MR scanner. Simultaneous, artifact-free images can be acquired with the APD-based PET and MR system resulting in a high-resolution and cost-effective integrated PET/MR system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Matthias J. Schmand, Ronald Grazioso, Ronald Nutt, Robert E. Nutt, Nan Zhang, James L. Corbeil, Ralf Ladebeck, Marcus Vester, Günter Schnur, Wolfgang Renz, Hubertus Fischer, Bernd J. Pichler
  • Patent number: 9121893
    Abstract: APD-based PET modules are provided for use in combined PET/MR imaging. Each module includes a number of independent, optically isolated detectors. Each detector includes an array of scintillator (e.g. LSO) crystals read out by an array of APDs. The modules are positioned in the tunnel of a MR scanner. Simultaneous, artifact-free images can be acquired with the APD-based PET and MR system resulting in a high-resolution and cost-effective integrated PET/MR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias J. Schmand, Ron Grazioso, Ronald Nutt, Robert E. Nutt, Nan Zhang, James Luke Corbeil, Ralf Ladebeck, Markus Vester, Günter Schnur, Wolfgang Renz, Hubertus Fischer, Bernd J. Pichler
  • Patent number: 8258903
    Abstract: A superconducting, actively shielded magnet has a first and second superconducting coil modules that generate a homogeneous magnetic field in a first direction in an operating volume of the magnet and that reduces the scatter magnetic field in an environment of the magnet. A third superconducting coil module is arranged in proximity to the first and second coil modules. The third coil module is fashioned to generate a compensation gradient field given occurrence of an interference gradient field in the environment so that the effect of the interference gradient field in the operating volume is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Guenter Schnur
  • Patent number: 8103014
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing protector for use in magnetic resonance systems. The hearing protector comprises a pad that is to be inserted in the ear and is provided on an adapter. A sound generating device is provided on or in the adapter or a sound transmitting device leads into same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Porzelt, Günter Schnur
  • Publication number: 20100277263
    Abstract: A superconducting, actively shielded magnet has a first and second superconducting coil modules that generate a homogeneous magnetic field in a first direction in an operating volume of the magnet and that reduces the scatter magnetic field in an environment of the magnet. A third superconducting coil module is arranged in proximity to the first and second coil modules. The third coil module is fashioned to generate a compensation gradient field given occurrence of an interference gradient field in the environment so that the effect of the interference gradient field in the operating volume is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventor: Guenter Schnur
  • Patent number: 6703836
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance tomograph or an imaging magnetic resonance apparatus (1) has a magnet (3) which is isolated in terms of vibration from a surrounding structure, in particular a building floor (15), by an isolation system (17). The isolation system (17) has an actively controlled isolation module (23) which is preferably designed to damp non-acoustic vibrations, in particular vibrations with a frequency of less than 50 Hz. According to a preferred embodiment, moreover, a passive isolation module (21) with a vibration-damping material (D) is present. A particularly high degree of isolation of the magnet (3) from the surrounding structure can be achieved with the aid of the isolation system (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralf Ladebeck, Guenter Schnur
  • Publication number: 20020041186
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance tomograph or an imaging magnetic resonance apparatus (1) has a magnet (3) which is isolated in terms of vibration from a surrounding structure, in particular a building floor (15), by means of an isolation system (17). The isolation system (17) has an actively controlled isolation module (23) which is preferably designed to damp non-acoustic vibrations, in particular vibrations with a frequency of less than 50 Hz. According to a preferred embodiment, moreover, a passive isolation module (21) with a vibration-damping material (D) is present. A particularly high degree of isolation of the magnet (3) from the surrounding structure can be achieved with the aid of the isolation system (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Ralf Ladebeck, Guenter Schnur
  • Patent number: 6215911
    Abstract: In an image acquisition method in which there is a sensitivity characteristic over the image space that is non-uniform but that changes only slowly, this characteristic is determined according to the steps of, in the original image, intensity changes are limited to a predetermined maximum value, a low-pass filtering is applied to the auxiliary image acquired in this way, and the sensitivity characteristic of the image acquisition method over the image space is acquired from the low-pass-filtered auxiliary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Goertler, Guenter Schnur
  • Patent number: 5731704
    Abstract: Two MR magnetic field probes arranged in a centrally symmetrical fashion in relation to the magnetic field center, are attached in the examination area of the magnet. The output signals of the two MR magnetic field probes are supplied to a multiplying RF mixer, and a sum frequency signal is obtained from the output signal of the RF mixer, and the actual value of the basic field is determined from the frequency of this output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Akteingesellschaft
    Inventors: Guenter Schnur, Claude Reymond, Pascal Sommer