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

Abstract: A fiducial marker assembly (30) is tracked using a magnetic resonance scanner (10). At the tracked position of the fiducial marker assembly, local B0 magnetic field inhomogeneity is measured. A warning is issued if the measured local B0 magnetic field inhomogeneity satisfies a warning criterion. A noise figure of merit of the tracking is also determined, and the warning is also issued if the noise figure of merit satisfies a noise-based warning criterion.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes an interventional instrument and a switched, segmented transmission (Tx) line which ensures safety during an MRI protocol while the interventional instrument is located in the system. The transmission line includes at least two electrically conductive Tx line segments separated by a non-conductive gap. An electrically conductive bridge, having an open and a closed state, and a parallel connected impedance bridge, having a known impedance which suppresses RF current between the line segments, bridge the non-conductive gap. A measurement unit measures the impedance across the Tx line while the conductive bridges are open. The line segments are verified to be decoupled if the measured impedance of the line is substantially equal to that of the impedance bridge.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying energy within an object includes an energy applying unit having an energy emitting element or outputting energy within the object and an energy storage unit locatable within the object and coupled to the energy emitting element. The apparatus further includes an electrical control line coupled to the energy applying unit for controlling the application of energy within the object by controlling transmission of energy from the energy storage unit to the energy emitting element.

Abstract: A catheter comprising:-a transmission line (104, 106, 924, 1202, 1302, 1902,), wherein the transmission line comprises a plurality of radio frequency traps (118, 318, 418, 518, 618, 718, 818, 918, 1018, 1202, 1404,); and-a cooling line (104, 304, 1200, 1900) for cooling the plurality of radio frequency traps with a fluid.

Abstract: A magnetic tracking system is particularly adapted for a combination with an imaging system, for example with a rotational X ray device. The magnetic tracking system includes pairs of first and second field generators that are disposed on opposite sides of a measuring volume. The first field generators may particularly be attached to a radiation source and the second field generators to a detector of the X ray device. Moreover, the first and second field generators may be constituted by coils with opposite magnetic polarity. Due to the attachment of the field generators to the X ray device, motions of the X ray device do not disturb the magnetic field in a frame of reference fixed to the imaging system.

Abstract: An electrically conductive transmission cable for supplying a DC signal safely to an electrical device in the presence of radio-frequency (RF) fields in a magnetic resonance (MR) is disclosed herein. The transmission cable comprises a transmission line (STL) comprising at least a first segment (S1) and a second segment (S2), wherein the first and second segments are electrically connected to each other by a reactive coupling unit (103), and a rectifier unit (101) connected to the transmission line and configured to extract the DC signal (203) from the modulated DC signal (201). The extracted DC signal may be supplied to an electrical device or used for cardiac pacing. The transmission cable finds application in auxiliary devices used in an MR environment, for example an interventional catheter with or without an active tracking circuit (301).

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a main magnet coil (2) for generating a uniform, steady magnetic field within an examination volume, a number of gradient coils (4, 5, 6) for generating switched magnetic field gradients in different spatial directions within the examination volume, at least one cardiac RF coil (11) for transmitting RF pulses to and/or receiving MR signals from the chest region of a body (10) of a patient positioned in the examination volume, a control unit (13) for controlling the temporal succession of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, and a reconstruction unit (15) for reconstructing a MR image from the MR signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catheter (2) for applying energy to an object (6) and a magnetic resonance imaging system (1) for localizing the catheter (2). The catheter (2) comprises an energy application element for applying energy to the object (6), and a cavity for providing a magnetic resonance fluid from which magnetic resonance signals generated by the magnetic resonance imaging system (1) are receivable, wherein the cavity is adapted for providing a cooling fluid as the magnetic resonance fluid for cooling the energy application element. The catheter (2) comprises further a tracking coil (15) for tracking the catheter (2), wherein the tracking coil (15) is adapted to receive the magnetic resonance signals from the magnetic resonance fluid. Thus, the magnetic resonance fluid fulfils at least two functions, providing magnetic resonance signals for tracking the catheter (2) and cooling the energy application element.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance method comprises: performing (C1) a magnetic resonance procedure on a calibration subject including an implant device; detecting (C2) a pick-up coil (PUC) signal at least during a radio frequency transmit phase of operation (C1); performing (C3) three dimensional temperature mapping of the calibration subject using a magnetic resonance sequence configured to detect any temperature change induced in any part of the implant device by operation (C1); generating (C4) an unsafe condition criterion (30) for the detected PUC signal based on correlating a PUC signal characteristic detected by operation (C2) with a temperature change detected by operation (C3); performing (M5) the magnetic resonance procedure on a subject containing an implant device; detecting (M6) a PUC signal at least during a radio frequency transmit phase of operation (M5); and monitoring (M7) for an unsafe condition indicated by the PUC signal detected in operation (M6) satisfying the unsafe condition criterion (30).