Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) compatible transducer for magnetic resonance elastography applications has a cantilevered drive element a free end of which is arranged in use to move reciprocally, and a flexible non-conductive connection rod slidably disposed within a flexible non-conductive sleeve. The connection rod is affixed at a proximal end to the cantilevered drive element via a proximal flexible connection piece that in use accommodates the slight rotational movement of the cantilevered drive element as it reciprocates about its secured end, whilst translating the rotational reciprocation of the cantilevered drive element into a pure translational reciprocation of the connection rod within the sleeve. The distal end of the connection rod is affixed against a protrusion connected to another cantilevered driven element, upon which is mounted a piston element that in use contacts the subject.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a motor for a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography room, to a patient table for the MR room, to a MR elastography device, and to a MR tomography device. A MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, and includes a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, and a support structure. The rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, and a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means. The rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a motor for a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography room, to a patient table for the MR room, to a MR elastography device, and to a MR tomography device. A MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, and includes a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, and a support structure. The rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, and a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means. The rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to techniques for synchronizing a rotational eccentric mass of a gravitational transducer used for a magnetic resonance elastography acquisition with a corresponding magnetic resonance elastography scan carried out by a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the rotation of the eccentric mass is driven by a shaft. The method includes starting the rotation of the eccentric mass at a set vibration frequency and the magnetic resonance elastography scan at a set acquisition frequency; determining the rotational position of the shaft; defining the rotational position as first reference position; calculating further reference positions. At the start time of each subsequent acquisition period, determining the current rotational position of the shaft; comparing the determined current rotational position with the theoretically expected reference position and decreasing or increasing the rotational speed of the rotational eccentric mass based on the comparison.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a medical apparatus that allows to generate, non-invasively and at a requested depth shear waves of controlled frequency and amplitude. The purpose is to impact via mechanotransduction on cellular behavior, i.e. cell proliferation and cell migration. The aim is to aide classical tumor therapy for instance by rendering cells more receptive to drugs, or by gaining time during chemotherapy by reducing cell migration and hence slowing down the metastatic process.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to techniques for synchronizing a rotational eccentric mass of a gravitational transducer used for a magnetic resonance elastography acquisition with a corresponding magnetic resonance elastography scan carried out by a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the rotation of the eccentric mass is driven by a shaft. The method includes starting the rotation of the eccentric mass at a set vibration frequency and the magnetic resonance elastography scan at a set acquisition frequency; determining the rotational position of the shaft; defining the rotational position as first reference position; calculating further reference positions. At the start time of each subsequent acquisition period, determining the current rotational position of the shaft; comparing the determined current rotational position with the theoretically expected reference position and decreasing or increasing the rotational speed of the rotational eccentric mass based on the comparison.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a motor for a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography room, to a patient table for the MR room, to a MR elastography device, and to a MR tomography device. A MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, and includes a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, and a support structure. The rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, and a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means. The rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

Abstract: A method and system for performing three-dimensional, 3D, magnetic resonance elastography, MRE, using a multi-slice gradient echo, GRE, imaging sequence. Four scans typically required to be performed during MRE, and during four breath-holds, are combined into a single measurement that can be performed during a single breath-hold.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to a method and system for performing three-dimensional, 3D, magnetic resonance elastography, MRE. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method and system for imaging an area of a patient using a multi-slice gradient echo, GRE, imaging sequence. Advantageously, the present techniques enable the four scans that are typically required to be performed during MRE, and during four breath-holds, to be combined into a single measurement that can be performed during a single breath-hold.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic resonance (MR) compatible transducer for magnetic resonance elastography applications having a cantilevered drive element (54) a free end of which is arranged in use to move reciprocally, and a flexible non-conductive connection rod (62) slidably disposed within a flexible non-conductive sleeve (60). The connection rod is affixed at a proximal end to the cantilevered drive element via a proximal flexible connection piece (64) that in use accommodates the slight rotational movement of the cantilevered drive element as it reciprocates about its secured end, whilst translating the rotational reciprocation of the cantilevered drive element into a pure translational reciprocation of the connection rod within the sleeve. The distal end of the connection rod is affixed against a protrusion connected to another cantilevered driven element (56), upon which is mounted a piston element (58) that in use contacts the subject.

Abstract: The inventive imaging method consists in generating a mechanical wave having shearing and compressional components in a viscoelastic medium and in determining the movement parameter of said viscoelastic medium at different points during the propagation of said mechanical wave. Said method comprises a correction stage when the movement parameter is processed for eliminating errors caused by the compressional component of the mechanical wave.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (100) for vibrating an organ and/or tissue and/or region of a subject's body (202) without a mechanical transmission to characterize at least one mechanical property of the region and/or tissue and/or organ, the apparatus (100) includes: elements (114-118) for generating a pressure wave of a given frequency in a gaseous medium, and waveguide elements (106) for guiding, in a gaseous medium, the pressure wave from the generating elements (114-118) to a human or animal body (202). Wave guiding in the airways of a human or animal body and tissue displacement mapping, anisotropy, and mechanical property characterizing systems (300) and methods are also described.

Abstract: Method for rheological characterization of a viscoelastic medium, with the following steps: (a) an excitation step during which a vibratory excitation is generated in the viscoelastic medium leading to a deformation of the medium, (b) a deformation measurement step during which the deformation of the medium caused by the excitation is observed, (c) and a characterization step during which at least one non-zero power parameter y is determined such that a rheological parameter of the medium x is equal to x(f)=a+b·fy, where f is the frequency, a is a real number and b a non-zero scale parameter. It is thus possible to obtain mapping of the power parameter y.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for optimizing the focusing of waves in a zone of interest of a medium, with the waves being emitted by a network of sources to the medium through an aberration-inducing element that introduces an initially indeterminate phase shift. The method according to the invention proposes to use M?1 successive modifications of the emitted wave, each giving rise to a perturbation. According to the invention, the M perturbations are measured in the zone of interest at each modification of the phase and/or amplitude distributions, and these measurements are used to deduce optimal focusing characteristics to maximize the perturbation induced in the zone of interest.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for imaging the mechanical properties of the prostate of a patient non-invasively. The apparatus generally comprises a magnetic resonance scanner, a vibration assembly coupled to the perineal region of the patient, and a driver that drives the mechanical exciter. The method generally comprises positioning the vibration assembly against the perineal region of the patient, vibrating the mechanical exciter to cause deformational excitation of a tissue region contacted in the perineum, capturing a series of images in time (snapshots) of the tissue region using the MR scanner, and finally processing the displacement images to generate maps of mechanical properties of images tissue.

Abstract: Method for rheological characterization of a viscoelastic medium, comprising the following steps: (a) an excitation step during which a vibratory excitation is generated in the viscoelastic medium leading to a deformation of the medium, (b) a deformation measurement step during which the deformation of the medium caused by the excitation is observed, (c) and a characterization step during which at least one non-zero power parameter y is determined such that a rheological parameter of the medium x is equal to x (f)=a+b.fy, where f is the frequency, a is a real number and b a non-zero scale parameter. It is thus possible to obtain mapping of the power parameter y.

Abstract: The inventive imaging method consists in generating a mechanical wave having shearing and compressional components in a viscoelastic medium and in determining the movement parameter of said viscoelastic medium at different points during the propagation of said mechanical wave. Said method comprises a correction stage when the movement parameter is processed for eliminating errors caused by the compressional component of the mechanical wave.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for optimizing the focusing of waves in a zone of interest of a medium, with the waves being emitted by a network of sources to the medium through an aberration-inducing element that introduces an initially indeterminate phase shift. The method according to the invention proposes to use M?1 successive modifications of the emitted wave, each giving rise to a perturbation. According to the invention, the M perturbations are measured in the zone of interest at each modification of the phase and/or amplitude distributions, and these measurements are used to deduce optimal focusing characteristics to maximize the perturbation induced in the zone of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance method for locating interventional devices, in particular in vivo, in which the interventional device bears a marking which in magnetic resonance images influences the measured signals or generates its own measured signals, where the measured signals are processed by means of a one-dimensional signal processing method in order to suppress noise and artefacts. This may in particular be the maximum entropy method, which can be further expanded by the use of model functions. These model functions are subtracted from the measured signals during the iterative method in order in this way to additionally improve the elimination of artefacts. As an alternative to the use of the maximum entropy method, the use of filters, in particular Wiener filters or bandpass filters, is also possible.

Abstract: In a method of elastography, diagnostic performance is improved in that the variation in time of the excursion whereby a region responds to excitation by mechanical oscillations is analyzed and the non-linear distortions are measured. Such non-linear distortions are a measure of the non-linear elastic properties of the region and constitute a diagnostically relevant item of information.