Abstract: The invention relates to a method of characterizing the RF transmit chain of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (1) using a local transmit/receive coil system (204; 210), comprising a first local NMR probe and a first local magnetic resonance coil, the first NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the first coil, a local receive coil system (206; 208), comprising a second local NMR probe and a second local magnetic resonance coil, the second NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the second coil, wherein the transmit chain comprises an external MR coil (9; 11; 12; 13), the method comprising: determining with the first magnetic resonance coil, a first MR signal phase evolution of the local RF transmit field generated by MR excitation of the first probe using the first magnetic resonance coil by measuring the RF response of the first probe upon said excitation, determining with the second magnetic resonance coil a second MR signal phase evolution of the local RF

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, comprising steps of—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 (4(3,) 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 that imaging plane (70) that has t

Abstract: A method of operating a respiratory-guided magnetic resonance imaging system (10) with regard to triggering of magnetic resonance image acquisition, the magnetic resonance imaging system (10) being connectable to a respiration monitoring device (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 (56) of generating an interleaved acquisition scheme for acquiring magnetic resonance images, a step (60) of adapting, in case of an occurrence of an irregularity in the breathing of the subject of interest (20) in the output signal (48) obtained by the respiration monitoring device (46) in the course of executing magnetic resonance image acquisition, at least one parameter of the interleaved acquisition scheme, wherein the at least one adapted parameter is at least one of a next respiration state of the subject of interest (20) to trigger on for acquiring at least one magnetic resonance image, a radio freque

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 handpiece defines a bore in which a proximal end of a catheter or other interventional instrument is received. An insulating support supports an interventional instrument which carries a transmission line winding in, but spaced from, the internal bore. A handpiece winding disposed along the bore interacts with the instrument transmission line winding to form an inductive coupling with the instrument transmission line winding. After the handpiece is slid axially to adjust the inductive coupling between the handpiece and windings, a locking mechanism functions in such a manner that the interventional instrument is inhibited from axial sliding motion relative to the handpiece while permitting rotation of the interventional instrument relative to the handpiece thus maintaining the inductive coupling while allowing optimal handling of the device.

Abstract: A medical device for multiple treatment therapies includes a hollow tube (102) having a first end portion with an electrode (104) disposed at the first end portion and an insulator (108) configured over a length of the tube such that conductive materials of the tube, except for the electrode, are electrically isolated from an exterior surface the tube. A conductive connection (127) is configured to electrically couple to the electrode to provide a voltage thereto. A selectively closeable valve (106) is configured to dispense a medical fluid from the tube.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) system (10) for guidance of a shaft or needle (16) to a target (14) of a subject (12) is provided. The system includes a user interface (76). The user interface (76) includes a frame (78) positioned on a surface of the subject (12). The frame (78) includes an opening (82) over an entry point of a planned trajectory for the shaft or needle (16). The planned trajectory extends from the entry point to the target (14). The user interface (76) further includes one or more visual indicators (80) arranged on the frame (78) around the opening (82). The one or more visual indicators (80) at least one of: 1) visually indicate deviation of the shaft or needle (16) from the planned trajectory; and 2) visually indicate a current position of a real-time slice of real-time MR images.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for the determination of the position of a catheter in a vascular system (8). In this, the measured positions (r1, r2) of two magnetic localizers at the tip of a catheter are displaced by correction vectors (k1, k2) while optimizing a quality dimension. The quality dimension includes a component taking account both of the deviation of the measured positions (r1, r2) from the vascular layout and of the deviation of the associated orientation (r2?r1) from the orientation of the vascular layout according to a vascular map. In addition, the quality dimension may include components which evaluate the measured shape of the catheter compared to the vascular map. An additional correction step can further ensure that the corrected positions (r1?, r2?) correspond to the preset fixed distance (d) of the localizers (4, 5).

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: 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: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (200, 300, 400) comprising: a magnetic resonance imaging system (202), a display (270), a processor (228), and a memory (234) for storing instructions for the processor. The instructions causes the processor to receive a brachytherapy treatment plan (240), acquire (100) planning magnetic resonance data (244), calculate (102) a catheter placement positions (246, 900, 902) and a catheter control commands (248) the brachytherapy catheters.

Abstract: A transmission cable including a transmission line, at least two electrically conductive line segments separated by a non-conductive gap, a bridging unit including at least one electrically conductive bridge segment capable of bridging the non-conductive gap, and a switching unit arranged to move the bridging unit and/or the transmission line to electrically connect the two line segments by closing the non-conductive gap using the bridge segment or to electrically disconnect the two line segments by opening the non-conductive gap.

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.

Abstract: A medical imaging system comprises an image data acquisition module to acquire imaging data and a motion detection module to acquire motion information. A reconstruction module reconstructs image datasets from the imaging data and with use of the motion information to correct for motion. The motion detection module is provided with a shape-sensing photonic fibre system to provide a photonic output representative of the spatial shape of the photonic fibre and an arithmetic unit to compute the motion information on the basis of the photonic output.

Abstract: A transformer line (46) extends through a catheter or other interventional instrument (30) that is to be used in the examination region (14) of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (10). The transformer line includes pairs of transformer windings (28) which are tuned in order to adjust the operating frequency and the maximum attenuation frequencies. Eccentric cams or other tuning elements (50, 64) are disposed in the transformer windings. Rotating the eccentric cams mechanically changes the geometry of the transformer windings, changing their inductive properties, and thus the frequency to which each is tuned.

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: An interventional device (12) is configured to be positioned in a body and includes an electrically operable unit (E1, E2) configured to carry out an interaction with the body upon a receipt of electric power. The device further includes a sensor (2) configured for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic energy from a remote source. The sensor is configured as a resonant circuit (2a, 2b) which converts the received electromagnetic energy into the electric power. The electrically operable device may include a diagnostic and/or therapeutic module.

Abstract: An electrically conductive transmission line for transmitting RF signals, in particular for transmitting MR signals between a transmission and/or receiving coil and a transmitting and/or receiving unit, by which separate known matching networks can be avoided or reduced. A transmission line is proposed comprising a plurality of lead segments coupled by transformers having a transformer impedance ZL placed between two neighboring lead segments, wherein for power matching of the two transformers placed at opposite ends of a lead segment, the lead segment has a lead segment impedance Z0 or a dielectric constant ?r and wherein the lead segment has a short length l. Thus, the lead segments themselves provide the matching of the transformers, and separate matching circuits are no longer needed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catheter (6) comprising: a connector (65, 66) at a proximal side of the catheter for connecting the catheter to an external signal transmission/receiving unit (10) for transmitting and/or receiving signals, an electrode (63, 64) at a distal side of the catheter, and an electrical connection including an electrical wire (61, 62) for electrically connecting the electrode and the connector for the transmission of signals between the electrode and the connector, wherein the electrical connection has a high electrical resistance of at least 1 k?, in particular of at least 5 k?. Thus, the present invention provides a solution to prevent excessive heating during EP interventions under MR guidance by using highly resistive wires and or lumped resistors as connections within catheters.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of characterizing the RF transmit chain of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (1) using a local transmit/receive coil system (204; 210), comprising a first local NMR probe and a first local magnetic resonance coil, the first NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the first coil, a local receive coil system (206; 208), comprising a second local NMR probe and a second local magnetic resonance coil, the second NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the second coil, wherein the transmit chain comprises an external MR coil (9; 11; 12; 13), the method comprising: determining with the first magnetic resonance coil, a first MR signal phase evolution of the local RF transmit field generated by MR excitation of the first probe using the first magnetic resonance coil by measuring the RF response of the first probe upon said excitation, determining with the second magnetic resonance coil a second MR signal phase evolution of the local RF