Abstract: The present invention provides a biomagnetic measurement technique which can obtain a potential waveform corresponding to a ventricular muscle cell action potential in a non-invasive manner. The biomagnetic measurement apparatus including an operating circuit for magnetometer, and means collecting output data of the operating circuit for magnetometer, has means calculating a current vector at time t, means calculating absolute value Ixy of the current vector, means calculating potential waveform V (t) in time corresponding to depolarization of a heart from the absolute value of the current vector, and means calculating potential waveform V (t) in a refractory period of the heart to a period corresponding to repolarization from the absolute value of the current vector.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measuring apparatus includes a plurality of SQUID magneto-meters for measuring a biomagnetic field generated from a living body, living-body signal measuring devices and for measuring and collecting living-body signals generated periodically, an operation processing device for operation processing the biomagnetic field signal and the living-body signal measured simultaneously as pairs in a plurality of directions, and a display unit for displaying a result of the operation processing. Change in time of excitation can be grasped in detail by using a small number of maps without presumption of a magnetic field source and display of many iso-magnetic field maps.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measuring apparatus for performing (1) processes for removing a magnetic field waveform generated by a maternal heart from a waveform of a biomagnetic field measured, (2) processes for obtaining a template waveform of a magnetic field waveform generated by the fetal heart from a waveform, from which the magnetic field waveform generated by the maternal heart has been removed, (3) processes for obtaining a waveform of a cross correlation coefficient between the waveform, from which the magnetic field waveform generated by the mother's hears was removed, and the template waveform, and (4) a process for detecting peaks from a waveform of the cross correlation coefficient, and displaying times of appearance of the detected peaks on a display unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring bio-magnetic fields includes a plurality of magnetometers for detecting magnetic fields generated from a live body; a driving circuit for driving the magnetometers; a computer for collecting output signals of the driving circuit in the form of data representing at least one waveform of the magnetic fields generated from the live body and for performing an arithmetic processing on the data representing the waveform of magnetic fields, a display unit, and at least one signal processing circuit for processing output signals of the driving circuit. The computer further performs an arithmetic processing of first-order differentiation on the waveform of the magnetic fields in a z direction with respect to time in order to create an arrow map and a contour map. The apparatus can also detect mechanical movement which occurs as blood flows in organs and organs move.

Abstract: A gradiometer integrating pickup coils comprises pickup coils 11Xp, 11Xn magnetically connected to a SQUID through associated input coils 2, and pickup coils 11Yp, 11Yn magnetically connected to a SQUID through associated input coils 2, respectively. Two superconducting loops are connected in series to each of the SQUIDs, when viewed from Josephson junctions 5. The input coils 2 form superconducting closed loops together with the pickup coils 11Xp, 11Xn, 11Yp, 11Yn associated therewith. The SQUIDs are respectively connected to form an 8-figured shape as a whole such that currents flow in two superconducting loops of each SQUID in opposite directions to each other, with respect to the application of a uniform field, in order to reduce environmental magnetic field noise.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measuring apparatus including: a plurality of magnetometers each employing a superconducting quantum interference device for measuring the magnetic field generated from an organism; a unit for calculating a pseudo-current from a normal component of the magnetic field; a unit for calculating the pseudo-current from the magnetic field obtained from the plurality of magnetometers to integrate the pseudo-current in a fixed direction on the circumference at a fixed distance from each of the associated ones of the sensors; a unit for calculating a maximum value or a minimum value of the integral value obtained by the unit for performing the integral; and a unit for calculating a difference value between the absolute value of the maximum value and the absolute value of the minimum value.

Abstract: The present invention, in the physiological magnetic field measuring instrument, recognizes characteristic waveforms (for example, heart beats) repeatedly appearing by physiological activity from measured signal waveforms, registers one of measured heart beats as a reference waveform, evaluates the difference degree of each measured heart beat data from the reference waveform, and executes the averaging process using only waveforms whose difference degrees are less than the allowable value. The present invention registers waveforms whose difference degrees are more than the allowable value as abnormal data and puts them into the display enabled state. Discrimination information is as signed to measurement conditions necessary for measuring the physiological magnetic field and data analysis conditions and when the discrimination information is designated for measurement, the measurement conditions and analysis conditions can be read.

Abstract: Disclosed is to provide means for supporting the diagnosis by quantitatively measuring the presence of abnormal condition in the heart of a to-be-tested person and the factor thereof (cause of the disease) from the data of magnetic field strengths measured at a plurality of measuring positions. Feature parameters are automatically picked up from the measured data to calculate Mahalanobis distances thereof, and any abnormal function of the heart is detected relying upon the magnitude thereof. Further, chief factors that cause an increase in the Mahalanobis distance are analyzed to specify the cause of a disease.

Abstract: A magnetic field measuring apparatus has a magnetic field shielding apparatus including non-magnetic cylindrical members on which high-permeability sheets are located in a state of being partially overlapped with each other. The cylindrical members are located to surround an axis of a first direction concentrically and having a hollow portion, the cylindrical member located on an innermost-side having a first opening at one end of the first direction, a second opening at the other end of the first direction, and a third opening penetrating the cylindrical members in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first direction. In addition, the magnetic field measuring apparatus has a living-body holder located in an inner-side space of the cylindrical member and a cryostat inserted into the third opening and maintaining SQUID magnetic-flux meters.

Abstract: First and second markers are disposed respectively on the processus xiphoideus and the incisura jugularis of the subject to be inspected. The chest of the subject is positioned below the cryostat so that a line joining the first and second markers extends in one direction in which sensors are arranged in the interior of the cryostat. Processing includes (1) forming, from magnetic waveform signals, an image representing the activity of the heart of the subject, (2) making the pixel size of a morphological image, including the heart photographed by an image pickup device, coincident with the pixel size of functional information and forming a functional image equal in pixel size to the morphological image, (3) making the position of the first marker in the functional image and the position of the first marker in the morphological image coincident, and (4) combining the functional image and the morphological image.

Abstract: An apparatus can detect a magnetic field with a high sensitivity using an ordinary-temperature pickup coil even when the pickup coil is arranged outside a cryostat. Specifically, the apparatus for measuring a magnetic field includes a pickup coil for detecting an external magnetic field, a SQUID electrically or magnetically connected to the pickup coil, a cryostat for holding the SQUID at low temperatures, and a driving device for driving the SQUID. The pickup coil is made of a normal-conducting material and is placed at an ordinary temperature outside the cryostat. By arranging outside the cryostat, the pickup coil can be brought close to a subject and can thereby detect a weak magnetic field in the subject with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measuring apparatus including: a plurality of magnetometers each employing a superconducting quantum interference device for measuring the magnetic field generated from an organism; a unit for calculating a pseudo-current from a normal component of the magnetic field; a unit for calculating the pseudo-current from the magnetic field obtained from the plurality of magnetometers to integrate the pseudo-current in a fixed direction on the circumference at a fixed distance from each of the associated ones of the sensors; a unit for calculating a maximum value or a minimum value of the integral value obtained by the unit for performing the integral; and a unit for calculating a difference value between the absolute value of the maximum value and the absolute value of the minimum value.

Abstract: A magnetic field measuring apparatus for precise cancellation of environmental noise includes a plurality of first SQUID gradiometers to detect noise and biomagnetic fields, a plurality of second SQUID gradiometers to detect noise, a driving circuit to drive these gradiometers, and a computer to execute signal processing after collecting the signals detected by these gradiometers. First and second SQUID gradiometers are provided which include first-order gradient pickup coils with the baselines formed by the coils of second gradiometers being shorter than those of first gradiometers. The apparatus cancels noise, from detected biomagnetic signal waveforms, caused by variant noise cancellation rates of the coils of first gradiometers, different baselines of the coils of second gradiometers, and the frequency property of a magnetically shielded room in which the apparatus is installed.

Abstract: A gradiometer integrating pickup coils comprises pickup coils 11Xp, 11Xn magnetically connected to a SQUID through associated input coils 2, and pickup coils 11Yp, 11Yn magnetically connected to a SQUID through associated input coils 2, respectively. Two superconducting loops are connected in series to each of the SQUIDs, when viewed from Josephson junctions 5. The input coils 2 form superconducting closed loops together with the pickup coils 11Xp, 11Xn, 11Yp, 11Yn associated therewith. The SQUIDs are respectively connected to form an 8-figured shape as a whole such that currents flow in two superconducting loops of each SQUID in opposite directions to each other, with respect to the application of a uniform field, in order to reduce environmental magnetic field noise.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measuring apparatus includes a plurality of SQUID magneto-meters for measuring a biomagnetic field generated from a living body, living-body signal measuring devices and for measuring and collecting living-body signals generated periodically, an operation processing device for operation processing the biomagnetic field signal and the living-body signal measured simultaneously as pairs in a plurality of directions, and a display unit for displaying a result of the operation processing. Change in time of excitation can be grasped in detail by using a small number of maps without presumption of a magnetic field source and display of many iso-magnetic field maps.

Abstract: A magnetic field measurement apparatus includes a plurality of magnetometers one comprising SQUID's and three detection coils each of which detects each of three orthogonal directional magnetic field components (BX, BY, BZ) of a magnetic field generated from a subject to be inspected, a display which displays time variation of waveforms of the magnitude {{square root over ( )}(BX2+BY2+BZ2)} of a magnetic field synthesized by square sum of each of the three orthogonal directional magnetic field components of the magnetic field generated from the subject to be inspected, a holding means for holding a Dewar's vessel for arranging magnetometers therein, and a controlling means for controlling a positional relationship between the subject to be inspected and the Dewar's vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring bio-magnetic fields includes a plurality of magnetometers for detecting magnetic fields generated from a live body; a driving circuit for driving the magnetometers; a computer for collecting output signals of the driving circuit in the form of data representing at least one waveform of the magnetic fields generated from the live body and for performing an arithmetic processing on the data representing the waveform of magnetic fields; a display unit; at least one signal processing circuit for processing output signals of the driving circuit; a signal generator for generating high-frequency AC current to be applied to the live animal body; and an electric wire for transmitting the high-frequency AC current from the signal generator to the live body via a plurality of electrodes to be attached to a plurality of points on the live body.

Abstract: A magnetic field measuring apparatus has a magnetic field shielding apparatus including non-magnetic cylindrical members on which high-permeability sheets are located in a state of being partially overlapped with each other. The cylindrical members are located to surround an axis of a first direction concentrically and having a hollow portion, the cylindrical member located on an innermost-side having a first opening at one end of the first direction, a second opening at the other end of the first direction, and a third opening penetrating the cylindrical members in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first direction. In addition, the magnetic field measuring apparatus has a living-body holder located in an inner-side space of the cylindrical member and a cryostat inserted into the third opening and maintaining SQUID magnetic-flux meters.

Abstract: A magnetic field measurement apparatus comprises a plurality of magnetometers each comprising SQUID's and three detection coils each of which detects each of three orthogonal directional magnetic field components ( Bx, By, Bz) of a magnetic field generated from a subject to be inspected, a display which displays time variation of waveform of magnitude {{square root}(Bx2+By2+Bz2)} of magnetic field synthesized by square sum of each of the three orthogonal directional magnetic field components of the magnetic field generated from the subject to be inspected, a holding means for holding Dewar's vessel for arranging magnetometers therein, and a controlling means for controlling a positional relationship between the subject to be inspected and the Dewar's vessel.

Abstract: A biomagnetic field measurement apparatus comprises, a plurality of magnetometers each having a SQUID sensor and a detection coil and each detecting a magnetic field generated from a heart of a fetus in a mother; a processor processing magnetic field wave forms detected by the magnetometers; and a display displaying results obtained by the processor. The processor estimates a position of a current dipole from the magnetic field wave forms, and processes projecting the position of the current dipole on a first plane parallel to a plane on which one ends of the magnetometers are disposed on processes projecting the position of the current dipole on a second plane perpendicular to the plane on which the one ends of the magnetometers are disposed. The position of the current dipole projected on the first plane and the position of the current dipole projected on the second plane are displayed on the display.