Patents by Inventor Stefan Popescu

Stefan Popescu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11953572
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a magnetic field of at least one magnetic coil unit of a magnetic resonance apparatus, a magnetic resonance apparatus, and a computer program product are provided. According to the method, the magnetic field is generated by the at least one magnetic coil unit. A plurality of magnetic field vectors are detected at different positions of the magnetic field by a magnetic field sensor unit, where each magnetic field vector of the plurality of magnetic field vectors describes a strength, such as a magnitude, and a direction of the magnetic field at the respective position. The magnetic field is ascertained. To ascertain the magnetic field based on the plurality of magnetic field vectors, a model of a vector field is ascertained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11899084
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging device may include a field generator for generating at least one magnetic gradient field. The field generator may include a first magnet and a second magnet confining an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device in two spatial directions. The first magnet and the second magnet may be arranged asymmetrically with respect to the imaging volume. The magnetic resonance imaging device may be used to perform a method for acquiring an image of a diagnostically relevant body region of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Mallett, Adrian Mark Thomas, Matthias Gebhardt, Stephan Biber, Andreas Krug, Stefan Popescu, Lars Lauer, Andreas Greiser
  • Publication number: 20240016407
    Abstract: Techniques are described for classifying tissue based on magnetic resonance image data, comprising. These may include acquiring magnetic resonance image data of a tissue region, detecting the tissue region contained within the magnetic resonance image data, acquiring information on an electrical property of the tissue region, and classifying the tissue region based upon the information on the electrical property of the tissue region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11852703
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging device having a field generation unit configured to provide a magnetic field in an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device. The field generation unit has at least one magnet. A surface of the field generation unit directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet has a concave shape, wherein a direction of access to the imaging volume is oriented essentially perpendicular to a main direction of magnetic field lines in the imaging volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Mallett, Adrian Mark Thomas, Stefan Popescu, Andreas Krug, Matthias Gebhardt, Stephan Biber, Andreas Greiser
  • Publication number: 20230393224
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance system configured to acquire magnetic resonance data of an object in an field-of-view, wherein the magnetic resonance system includes a magnet that is configured such that it creates a gradient field at the field-of-view; a controller configured to cause the magnetic resonance system to utilize the magnet's gradient field for diffusion weighted imaging or mixed contrast imaging; and a unit of one or several RF coils, wherein the RF coils are configured to acquire magnetic resonance data from the object and to support or flexibly attach to the patient body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11815575
    Abstract: A MRI device including a main field unit for establishing a main magnetic field (MF) in an imaging region, a gradient coil assembly for generating a gradient field in the imaging region, a RF arrangement for sending excitation signals to and receiving MR signals from the imaging region, a field camera for determining MF information in the imaging region, the field camera comprising multiple MF sensors arranged at measurement positions enclosing the imaging region, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive sensor data for each measurement positions, from the sensor data, calculate the MF information for the imaging region, and implement a calibration and/or correction measure depending on the MF information. The field camera may be a vector-field camera acquiring vector-valued sensor data describing the MF at each measurement positions three-dimensionally. The controller may determine the MF information to three dimensionally describe the MF in the imaging region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Publication number: 20230333190
    Abstract: A method for estimating a magnetic field deviation, a magnetic resonance device, and a computer program product are disclosed. In accordance with the method, at least one gradient value is provided, wherein each gradient value describes a gradient strength of the respective gradient magnetic field, e.g., the setpoint gradient magnetic field. The magnetic resonance device generates a main magnetic field in a main magnetic field direction. The at least one value of a deviation is estimated by applying the at least one gradient value to a magnetic field model. In this case, in accordance with a magnetic field model, a deviation of the gradient magnetic field from a setpoint gradient magnetic field is described by at least one vectorial component in a spatial direction deviating from the main magnetic field direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11789098
    Abstract: A measurement device for measuring MR signals in a MR device may include first and second magnetometers and a controller. The first magnetometer may be a quantum spin magnetometer that includes a sensor material having a spin defect center including Zeeman splitting states dependent on an external magnetic field of the MR device, an optical excitation source and a microwave excitation source for electromagnetically exciting the sensor material, and a measurement sensor for measuring optical signals emitted by the excited sensor material element and depending on the Zeeman splitting states. The controller may be configured to determine a working frequency of the microwave excitation source of the first magnetometer from the total magnetic field strength measured by the second magnetometer, and control the microwave excitation source to use the determined working frequency as microwave frequency, such that the first magnetometer measures the MR signals as the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11768263
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a magnet system for a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a basic field magnet and a gradient system, wherein coils of the gradient system are positioned outside the area of a predefined basic magnetic field (B0) of the basic field magnet. The disclosure further describes a gradient system and a magnetic resonance imaging system with such a magnet system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Kirsch, Stefan Popescu
  • Publication number: 20230284928
    Abstract: A method for determining a location of an apparatus inside an imaging volume of an MRT system surrounded by a basic field magnet for creating a static basic magnetic field along a longitudinal axis and by a gradient coil is provided. The apparatus has a first conductor loop that runs within a loop plane. The method includes creating a magnetic alternating field in the imaging volume using the gradient coil. At least one measured value that depends on an induction voltage that is induced by a component of the alternating field at right angles to the longitudinal axis in the at least one conductor loop is determined using the at least one first conductor loop. A location of the apparatus inside an imaging volume is determined at least partly as a function of the at least one measured value and a predetermined magnetic field model for the gradient coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11675034
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a field generation unit and a supporting structure for providing structural support for the field generation unit, wherein the field generation unit comprises at least one magnet for generating a B0 magnetic field and an opening configured to provide access to an imaging volume positioned in the B0 magnetic field along at least one direction and wherein the at least one direction is angled with respect to a main direction of magnetic field lines of the B0 magnetic field in the imaging volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Mallett, Stefan Popescu, Adrian Mark Thomas, Stephan Biber, Matthias Gebhardt, Thorsten Speckner, Thomas Beck, Andreas Greiser
  • Publication number: 20230003816
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging device having a field generation unit configured to provide a magnetic field in an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device. The field generation unit has at least one magnet. A surface of the field generation unit directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet has a concave shape, wherein a direction of access to the imaging volume is oriented essentially perpendicular to a main direction of magnetic field lines in the imaging volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Mallett, Adrian Mark Thomas, Stefan Popescu, Andreas Krug, Matthias Gebhardt, Stephan Biber, Andreas Greiser
  • Publication number: 20220404446
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a magnetic field of at least one magnetic coil unit of a magnetic resonance apparatus, a magnetic resonance apparatus, and a computer program product are provided. According to the method, the magnetic field is generated by the at least one magnetic coil unit. A plurality of magnetic field vectors are detected at different positions of the magnetic field by a magnetic field sensor unit, where each magnetic field vector of the plurality of magnetic field vectors describes a strength, such as a magnitude, and a direction of the magnetic field at the respective position. The magnetic field is ascertained. To ascertain the magnetic field based on the plurality of magnetic field vectors, a model of a vector field is ascertained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11519983
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a receiving unit configured for acquiring MR signals from an examination object in a magnetic resonance device. The receiving unit may include a detector unit comprising a light source and a first optical detector, a sensor unit comprising a first optical magnetometer, a first optical waveguide connecting the sensor unit to the light source, and a second optical waveguide connecting the sensor unit to the first optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Silvia Bettina Arroyo Camejo, Stefan Popescu, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 11511113
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed related to increasing prior limits imposed on MR gradient switching speed (dB/dt) without causing significant discomfort or severe pain perception to patients. The technique disclosed herein do so by modifying the pulsing gradient fields that are ordinarily available for MR imaging protocols. Doing so stimulates the peripheral nerves and thus enables a quick, reversible, and complete inhibition of action potential propagation through the stimulated region of tissue, referred to as a nerve conduction block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Popescu, Lawrence Wald, Bruce Rosen, Jason Stockmann
  • Patent number: 11474173
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus, for acquiring magnetic resonance data from a person who is asleep, includes a person support apparatus to provide a sleeping place; an acquisition arrangement including a radiofrequency coil arrangement for transmitting excitation pulses and for receiving magnetic resonance signals; and a controller, designed to operate the acquisition arrangement according to a magnetic resonance sequence for acquiring a magnetic resonance dataset from a region under examination of the person. The magnetic resonance apparatus includes a main magnetic field of strength less than 20 mT, in particular less than 10 mT, and the controller includes an acquisition unit for acquiring a magnetic resonance dataset via a prolonged magnetic resonance sequence having a total acquisition duration of more than one hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Vester, Carmel Hayes, Stefan Popescu, Mathias Blasche, Matthias Gebhardt
  • Publication number: 20220308142
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging device may include a field generator for generating at least one magnetic gradient field. The field generator may include a first magnet and a second magnet confining an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device in two spatial directions. The first magnet and the second magnet may be arranged asymmetrically with respect to the imaging volume. The magnetic resonance imaging device may be used to perform a method for acquiring an image of a diagnostically relevant body region of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Mallett, Adrian Mark Thomas, Matthias Gebhardt, Stephan Biber, Andreas Krug, Stefan Popescu, Lars Lauer, Andreas Greiser
  • Patent number: 11454686
    Abstract: A gradient system for a magnetic resonance imaging system can include at least two examination areas using a common basic magnetic field and a number of gradient coils in the at least two examination areas, and a gradient controller configured such that it controls the electric current flowing through at least two gradient coils for similar gradient axes in different examination areas in a temporal synchronous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Publication number: 20220252685
    Abstract: A MRI device including a main field unit for establishing a main magnetic field (MF) in an imaging region, a gradient coil assembly for generating a gradient field in the imaging region, a RF arrangement for sending excitation signals to and receiving MR signals from the imaging region, a field camera for determining MF information in the imaging region, the field camera comprising multiple MF sensors arranged at measurement positions enclosing the imaging region, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive sensor data for each measurement positions, from the sensor data, calculate the MF information for the imaging region, and implement a calibration and/or correction measure depending on the MF information. The field camera may be a vector-field camera acquiring vector-valued sensor data describing the MF at each measurement positions three-dimensionally. The controller may determine the MF information to three dimensionally describe the MF in the imaging region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu
  • Patent number: 11385308
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The MR scanner includes a superconducting magnet, a superconducting quantum processor, a first cooling system surrounding the superconducting magnet, and a second cooling system surrounding the superconducting quantum processor. The second cooling system is embedded in the first cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Popescu