Abstract: Apparatus for accurate positioning of a needle guide is disclosed. The apparatus provides a means for taking as input the position vector for the point of insertion of the needle into the body. This point of insertion can be selected from images produced by a Computer Tomography system. Similarly, the apparatus has a means for taking as input the point of target. A controller determines the directional vector between point of insertion and point of target. A guide manipulator accurately positions the needle guide in line with the directional vector, such that the needle can easily be inserted through the guide to the point of target. The positioning of the guide manipulator in accordance with the directional vector is done with the help of motors.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurate positioning of a needle guide is disclosed. The apparatus provides a means for taking as input the position vector for the point of insertion of the needle into the body. This point of insertion can be selected from images produced by a Computer Tomography system. Similarly, the apparatus has a means for taking as input the point of target. A controller determines the directional vector between point of insertion and point of target. A guide manipulator accurately positions the needle guide in line with the directional vector, such that the needle can easily be inserted through the guide to the point of target. The positioning of the guide manipulator in accordance with the directional vector is done with the help of motors.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurate positioning of a needle guide is disclosed. The apparatus provides a means for taking as input the position vector for the point of insertion of the needle into the body. This point of insertion can be selected from images produced by a Computer Tomography system. Similarly, the apparatus has a means for taking as input the point of target. A controller determines the directional vector between point of insertion and point of target. A guide manipulator accurately positions the needle guide in line with the directional vector, such that the needle can easily be inserted through the guide to the point of target. The positioning of the guide manipulator in accordance with the directional vector is done with the help of motors.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a gain for reception of a magnetic resonance signal in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes defining an initially set value of a slice thickness as slthick-original, defining a gain fit therefor as prescan-R1, and calculating a gain realtime-R1 fit for a changed value slthick-realtime of the slice thickness in accordance with: realtime-R1=(prescan-R1?(int)(log(slthick-realtime/slthick-original)+0.99)).

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product is provided for optimizing pre-saturation in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The optimization is done by setting a correct transmitter frequency of RF pre-pulses for all scan slices. A B.sub.0 magnetic field map for each scan slice of a scan volume is obtained from the B.sub.0 magnetic field distribution in the scan volume. The B.sub.0 magnetic field maps are used to calculate the median value of the B.sub.0 magnetic field over each scan slice. A first frequency of RF pre-pulses is obtained by a standard procedure. A second frequency of RF pre-pulses is then calculated for each scan slice by adding the median value of the B.sub.0 magnetic field over the scan slice to the first frequency of RF pre-pulses. Thereafter RF pre-pulses at the second frequency is applied to the scan slice.