Abstract: A method for determining wall thickness of an anatomic detail (52), in particular of the heart, of a subject of interest (20) by magnetic resonance imaging includes: defining (82) a first location (54) and a second location (56) on a surface representation; —generating (84) a line-structure of interest (60), —determining (86), for each location (62) of a plurality of locations (62), a normal direction (64); —determining (88) a mean normal direction (66); —determining (90) a mean imaging plane (68); —determining (92) a measure that is representative of angular deviations (43) of the determined normal directions (64); —based on the determined measure, determining (96) imaging planes (70); —determining (98) deviations of the determined normal directions (64) to the imaging planes (70); —acquiring (100) magnetic resonance images for all imaging planes (68, 70); and —determining (102) the wall thickness at a specific location (62) from the magnetic resonance image acquired in the imaging plane (70) that has the lo

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide for an improved method for device localization using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during MRI guided interventions.

Abstract: An active position marker system comprising at least one active position marker (10) and a remote transceiver unit (20) for communicating with the position marker is disclosed. Basically, the position marker (10) comprises a local RF receive coil (11) for receiving MR signals which are excited in a local volume, and a parametric amplifier (14) for amplifying and upconverting the frequency of the received MR signal into at least one microwave sideband frequency signal. This microwave signal is transmitted wirelessly or wire-bound to the transceiver unit for downconverting the same and supplying it to an image processing unit of an MR imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A medical apparatus (1100) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system and an interventional device (300) comprising a shaft (302, 1014, 1120). The medical apparatus further comprises a toroidal magnetic resonance fiducial marker (306, 600, 800, 900, 1000, 1122) attached to the shaft. The shaft passes through a center point (610, 810, 908, 1006) of the fiducial marker. The medical apparatus further comprises machine executable instructions (1150, 1152, 1154, 1156, 1158) for execution by a processor. The instructions cause the processor to acquire (100, 200) magnetic resonance data, to reconstruct (102, 202) a magnetic resonance image (1142), and to receive (104, 204) the selection of a target volume (1118, 1144, 1168). The instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: acquire (106, 206) magnetic resonance location data (1146) from the fiducial marker and render (108, 212) a view (1148, 1162) indicating the position of the shaft relative to the target zone.

Abstract: A medical apparatus (1100) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system and an interventional device (300) comprising a shaft (302, 1014, 1120). The medical apparatus further comprises a toroidal magnetic resonance fiducial marker (306, 600, 800, 900, 1000, 1122) attached to the shaft. The shaft passes through a center point (610, 810, 908, 1006) of the fiducial marker. The medical apparatus further comprises machine executable instructions (1150, 1152, 1154, 1156, 1158) for execution by a processor. The instructions cause the processor to acquire (100, 200) magnetic resonance data, to reconstruct (102, 202) a magnetic resonance image (1142), and to receive (104, 204) the selection of a target volume (1118, 1144, 1168). The instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: acquire (106, 206) magnetic resonance location data (1146) from the fiducial marker and render (108, 212) a view (1148, 1162) indicating the position of the shaft relative to the target zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrocardiograph sensor mat (100), the mat (100) comprising a multitude of electrodes (104) for acquiring cardiac signals and a plug (200), wherein the electrodes (104) are connected to the plug (200) by electric wires (102), wherein the wires (102) are segmented by switches (202), wherein the switches (202) are switchable between a closed state and an open state, wherein in the closed state the electrodes (104) are electrically connected to the plug (200) and wherein in the open state the electrodes (104) are electrically isolated from the plug (200).

Abstract: A magnetic resonance method comprises applying a radio frequency excitation in an examination region (14), measuring a magnetic resonance signal generated by the applied radio frequency excitation in a subject (16) in the examination region, monitoring a radio frequency parameter during the applying, and evaluating subject safety based on the monitoring. A magnetic resonance safety monitor (40) comprises an analyzer (42, 44, 46, 50) configured to (i) receive a radio frequency signal during magnetic resonance excitation, (ii) extract a radio frequency parameter from the received radio frequency signal, and (iii) evaluate subject safety based on the extracted radio frequency parameter, and a remediation module (54) configured to perform a remediation of the magnetic resonance excitation responsive to the evaluation (iii) indicating a potentially unsafe condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to electrophysiology catheter systems and their use, such as in an MRI environment, and in particular to analysis of electric signals from such. An electrophysiology (EP) catheter with a plurality of electrically isolated electrode segments arranged in longitudinally spaced bands around the catheter is used to detect electric signals. A workstation receives the electrical signals which are then processed by a processing unit. Electric signals from electrode segments can be used to determine roll angle information of the catheter in relation to patient anatomy by determining signals from electrode segments in contact with tissue. Also, electric signals can be used to extract a reference signal that can be used to correct for gradient induced artifacts.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring (200) first magnetic resonance data (142) by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with pulse sequence instructions (140), reconstructing (202) one or more first image (144) from the first magnetic resonance data, and assigning (204) the one or more first image to a first memory group of a set of memory groups (300).

Abstract: The arrangement of a combustor and a device for selective non-catalytic reduction includes a nozzle for injecting a reagent, a control system for controlling the flow from the nozzle, the control system being arranged for generating a pulsed flow from the nozzle.

Abstract: A contact-free method of determining biometric parameters and physiological parameters of a subject of interest (20) to be examined by a medical imaging modality (10), comprising steps of taking (72) a picture by a first digital camera (52) including a total view of an examination table (44); applying (74) a computer vision algorithm or an image processing algorithm to the picture for determining a biometric parameter of the subject of interest (20) in relation to the examination table (44); taking (78) at least one picture with a second digital camera (58), whose field of view (60) includes a region of the subject of interest (20) that is related to the at least one determined biometric parameter; using data indicative of the determined biometric parameter to identify (82) a subset of pixels of the at least one picture taken by the second digital camera (58) that define a region of interest (64) from which at least one physiological parameter of the subject of interest (20) is to be determined, taking (84) a

Abstract: The nozzle for injecting a reagent into a combustor has a body with a cavity, an occlusion for the cavity, a slit for injecting the reagent, at least one intermediate disc between the body and the occlusion, the at least one intermediate disc having at least one opening for the passage of the reagent, wherein the nozzle further has a first slit between the body and the at least one intermediate disc, a second slit between the occlusion and the at least one intermediate disc (56), and/or at least one slit having at least one corrugated border defining a variable size slit between a minimum size and a maximum size.

Abstract: The boiler (1) has side tubed walls (2) enclosing an inner space (3) and a device for selective non catalytic reduction (7). The device for selective non catalytic reduction (7) has a lance (8) carrying a hose (9) having at least a nozzle (10) and a hose drive mechanism (11) for driving the hose within the lance. The lance (8) protrudes into the inner space (3) from a side tubed wall (2) of the boiler (1).

Abstract: A method of employing a central computer database (18) for supporting a characterization of tissue by magnetic resonance fingerprinting measurements, including steps of —exciting nuclei of a subject of interest by applying (50) a radio frequency excitation field B1 generated according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting sequence (38), —acquiring (52) magnetic resonance imaging signal data from radiation emitted by excited nuclei of the subject of interest, —transferring (54) a magnetic resonance fingerprinting data set (42) to the central computer database (18), —retrieving (56) a predefined dictionary from the central computer database (18), —matching (60) the acquired magnetic resonance imaging signal data to the retrieved dictionary by applying a pattern recognition algorithm to determine a value (40) or a set of values (40) for at least one physical quantity (T1, T2), —adding (62) at least the determined value (40) or the determined set of values (40) as a new entry of an associated medical data set (3

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a perfusion imaging device and method, wherein perfusion data of at least a tissue of interest is obtained from medical imaging and blood pulsation parameters are determined on or near the tissue of interest without physical contact to a patient.

Abstract: Patient headphones (50) for use in a medical scanning modality, comprising a frame member (52), two ear cups (54) that, in an operational state of the patient headphones (50), are arranged to be in contact with one of the patient's ears, and a sensor system (60), the sensor system (60) including optical emitters (64) that are configured for directing electromagnetic radiation to a portion of the patient's skin, and optical sensors (68) that are configured for receiving the electromagnetic radiation being returned from the portion of the patient's skin, and for providing an output signal that corresponds to the received electromagnetic radiation, wherein the output signal is indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the patient and serves as a basis for determining the at least one physiological parameter of the patient; —a patient headphones system (48) for use in a medical scanning modality (10), comprising an embodiment of such patient headphones (50) and a data acquisition and analysis unit (76

Abstract: A system and method determines an isocenter for an imaging scan. The method includes receiving, by a control panel, patient data generated by at least one sensor, the patient data corresponding to dimensions of a body of a patient. The method includes generating, by the control panel, model data as a function of the patient data, the model data representing the body of the patient. The method includes receiving, by the control panel, a target location on the model data, the target location corresponding to a desired position on the body of the patient for performing the imaging scan. The method includes determining, by the control panel, an isocenter for the imaging scan as a function of the target location.

Abstract: A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system (10) being connectable to a respiration monitoring means (46) which is configured to provide an output signal (48) whose level represents a respiration state of the subject of interest (20), the method comprising: —a step (54) of providing a prospective acquisition scheme for acquiring magnetic resonance images at each respiration state of a set of selected respiration states of the subject of interest (20), the triggering on the selected respiration states being based on predetermined threshold output signal levels of the respiration monitoring means (46), and, during executing magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the prospective acquisition scheme, a step (58) of comparing actual respiration states at which magnetic resonance images were actually acquired, with the selected respiration states according to the prospective acquisition scheme and predetermined ranges of tolerance (52) of the selected respiration states, —a step (60) of modif

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrocardiograph sensor mat (100), the mat (100) comprising a multitude of electrodes (104) for acquiring cardiac signals and a plug (200), wherein the electrodes (104) are connected to the plug (200) by electric wires (102), wherein the wires (102) are segmented by switches (202), wherein the switches (202) are switchable between a closed state and an open state, wherein in the closed state the electrodes (104) are electrically connected to the plug (200) and wherein in the open state the electrodes (104) are electrically isolated from the plug (200).

Abstract: A fiducial position marker (1) for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus is disclosed for exciting and/or receiving MR signals in/from a local volume which at least substantially surrounds or adjoins the position marker, in order to determine and/or image from these MR signals the position of the position marker in an MR image of an examination object. Such a position marker (1) is especially used for determining and/or imaging a position of an interventional or non-interventional instrument to which the position marker may be attached, like a catheter, a surgical device, a biopsy needle, a pointer, a stent or another invasive or any non-invasive device in an MR image of an examination object. Further, a position marker system comprising such a position marker (1) and a circuit arrangement (5, 6, 6a, 8) for driving the position marker (1) for exciting MR signals and/or for processing MR signals received by the position marker is disclosed.