Abstract: In an MR guided surgical system which is carried out in the bore of an MR magnet and uses fluorescence to detect tumor cells, there is provided a microscope system for viewing the required part of a patient which includes stereoscopic viewing components arranged for use in generating 2D and 3D images displayed to the surgeon. The optical assembly is adjustable to change the view and the visual images are overlaid by the MR images. The visual image can be adjusted in response to movement of the surgical tool and the MR image displayed and/or the image obtained can be modified in response to change in the visual image and/or movement of the tool. The components in the bore are made compatible with the MR environment. A fluorescence delivery system is operated to automatically activate the delivery system in response to detection of the level of fluorescence.

Abstract: Radiation therapy of a lesion within a patient is guided to take into account movement of the lesion caused by respiration and/or cardiac effects by using MRI to image the patient while on the treatment support to obtain a series of images of a location of the lesion within the patient while obtaining data relating to respiration and/or cardiac function of the patient to generate lesion movement data as a function of respiration and/or cardiac function. After the magnet is removed from the bunker, during the radiation therapy, real time data relating to respiration and/or cardiac function of the patient is used to guide the radiation therapy using the lesion movement data obtained during the imaging.

Abstract: In an MR guided surgical system which is carried out in the bore of an MR magnet and uses fluorescence to detect tumor cells, there is provided a microscope system for viewing the required part of a patient which includes stereoscopic viewing components arranged for use in generating 2D and 3D images displayed to the surgeon. The optical assembly is adjustable to change the view and the visual images are overlaid by the MR images. The visual image can be adjusted in response to movement of the surgical tool and the MR image displayed and/or the image obtained can be modified in response to change in the visual image and/or movement of the tool. The components in the bore are made compatible with the MR environment. A fluorescence delivery system is operated to automatically activate the delivery system in response to detection of the level of fluorescence.

Abstract: In an MR guided surgical system which is carried out in the bore of an MR magnet, there is provided a microscope system for viewing the required part of a patient which includes stereoscopic viewing components arranged for use in generating 2D and 3D images displayed to the surgeon. The optical assembly is adjustable to change the view and the visual images are overlaid by the MR images. The visual image can be adjusted in response to movement of the surgical tool and the MR image displayed and/or the image obtained can be modified in response to change in the visual image and/or movement of the tool. The components in the bore are made compatible with the MR environment.

Abstract: A patient imaging system includes a patient support table and an MRI system including a cylindrical magnet. The magnet defines a cylindrical bore for receiving the patient on the table where the magnet is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on a slew ring carried on rails allowing longitudinal movement. The magnet is arranged in a two or three room diagnostic configuration in which a holding bay houses the magnet and the diagnostic patients are organized in the three rooms each cooperating with the magnet bay. A control system is provided for inputting data defining different locations or conditions of the magnet relative to its environment and for each of the different conditions data is stored defining a respective set of shimming parameters so that the control system automatically inputs the shimming parameters and adjusts the shimming as the magnet is moved or a secondary imaging system is brought up to the magnet.

Abstract: A method is provided for guiding a procedure on a region of interest in a body part of patient, where the body part moves within the patient by breathing, cardiac or other action. The procedure includes radiation therapy, or guidance of a probe for example for biopsy or brachytherapy. The method includes using an MRI system to obtain an MR image of the body part, during the procedure on the body part of the patient, obtaining real time ultrasound images of the body part of the patient as the body part moves within the body of the patient, registering the MR image of the body part with the ultrasound image of the body part so as to locate the region of interest in the ultrasound image of the body part and using the registered images to target the action to the region of interest as the body part moves.

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: Image guidance on a computer screen in the patient's vascular system with reduced use of toxic contrast agent and X-ray radiation is obtained by providing anatomical and functional images obtained preferably from an MR Imaging system. A fibre optic device which uses strain measurement to provide an image of the shape and location of the fiber is used to provide spatial information of the elongate guide member as it is pushed through the vascular system with this spatial information being registered to the image of the vascular system by registering the location of the fiber/guide in the image prior to insertion using markers visible in the MR image.

Abstract: Radiation therapy of a lesion within a patient is guided to take into account movement of the lesion caused by respiration and/or cardiac effects by using MRI to image the patient while on the treatment support to obtain a series of images of a location of the lesion within the patient while obtaining data relating to respiration and/or cardiac function of the patient to generate lesion movement data as a function of respiration and/or cardiac function. After the magnet is removed from the bunker, during the radiation therapy, real time data relating to respiration and/or cardiac function of the patient is used to guide the radiation therapy using the lesion movement data obtained during the imaging.

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: 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.

Abstract: A patient imaging system includes a patient support table and an MRI system including a cylindrical magnet. The magnet defines a cylindrical bore for receiving the patient on the table where the magnet is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on a slew ring carried on rails allowing longitudinal movement. The magnet is arranged in a two or three room diagnostic configuration in which a holding bay houses the magnet and the diagnostic patients are organized in the three rooms each cooperating with the magnet bay. A control system is provided for inputting data defining different locations or conditions of the magnet relative to its environment and for each of the different conditions data is stored defining a respective set of shimming parameters so that the control system automatically inputs the shimming parameters and adjusts the shimming as the magnet is moved or a secondary imaging system is brought up to the magnet.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use in surgical procedures comprising an operating table for receiving a patient for surgery and a magnetic resonance imaging system for obtaining images of a part of the patient at a series of times through the surgical procedure for analysis by the surgical team to allow the surgical team to monitor the progress of the surgery. The high field magnet and the operating table are shaped and arranged for positioning of the part of the patient into the magnetic field while the patient remains in place on the table and the magnet is mounted for movement between a first position spaced from the table and the patient thereon to allow the surgical team to carry out the surgical procedure and a second position for applying the magnetic field to the part of the patient.