Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-03
2001-06-26
Smith, Ruth S. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S422000, C324S309000, C324S318000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253101
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for the operation of a diagnostic magnetic resonance apparatus having a number of local antennas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In diagnostic magnetic resonance apparatus, local antennas are utilized for improving the signal-to-noise ratio, and thus improving the imaging quality. The positioning of the local antennas applied to a patient in the magnetic resonance apparatus has conventionally ensued with the assistance of a light sighting means, which marks a region that has a defined or known spacing from the magnetic field center or from the center of the imaging region. To that end, a center of the local antenna to be applied is first brought into coincidence with a light indicator generated by the light-sighting means. This can ensue by appropriate placement of the patient on a patient support or by a corresponding positioning of the patient support with the patient thereon. Subsequently, the patient together with the patient support is moved by the defined distance into the imaging region of the magnetic resonance apparatus. In many magnetic resonance apparatuses, the position acquisition is limited to a single coordinate direction, namely the direction of the displacement path of the patient support. It is not possible to communicate the positions of a number of simultaneously employed local antennas to the magnetic resonance apparatus.
German PS 196 53 535, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,406, discloses a method for position determination, wherein spatially-encoded magnetic resonance signals are received with a whole body antenna as well as with the local antennas to be applied. Spatially resolved image information in the form of intensity values are generated from the received magnetic resonance signals. After normalization, the coordinate value that belongs to the highest normalized intensity value is identified, and this indicates the position of the local antenna in the coordinate direction. The position of each local antenna can then be defined and, as needed, communicated to the device controller.
European Application 0 374 994 discloses an antenna system that has a first sub-system in order to generate an overall image and a second sub-system having a number of local antennas. Markers are allocated to the local antennas, these markers being capable of being made visible in an image presentation. The markers allow an identification of the individual local antennas. The antennas allocated to the identified markers can be activated via a control panel. A disadvantage of this system is that the imaged markers are visible in every image and can be disturbing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for facilitating the selection of one or more local antennas that optimally produce an image of the region to be examined.
This object is achieved in a method wherein the local antennas are arranged in known positions with respect to a patient support and preceding activation of at least one of the local antennas for imaging, at least one characteristic property of each local antenna is presented in an overview image of a patient on the patient support. It is thus possible to present an exact allocation of the characteristic property of each local antenna with respect to the patient and to subsequently select a local antenna suitable for the examination. In the actual imaging with the selected local antenna or antennas, the display of the characteristic property can then be turned off (disenabled).
In particular, imaging properties of the antennas employed are provided as characteristic properties. In an embodiment, the sensitive region of each local antenna is graphically presented in correct position as one of the characteristic properties. Which local antenna optimally images the region to be examined is thus shown to the operator in an overview image. In a version of this embodiment, the sensitive region is shown in the form of a bar that is mixed in at one side of the overview image and which has a length corresponding to the expanse of the sensitive region in the direction of the bar. This presentation of the sensitive region indicates the most important information for each applicable local antenna in the overview image, with minimum outlay.
In a further embodiment the local antennas are arranged in fixed position on the patient support, and the position of the support in the magnetic resonance apparatus is taken into consideration for the positionally correct presentation of one of the characteristic properties. The imaged slice with respect to the local antennas is defined via the position acquisition of the patient support.
In another embodiment, the characteristic properties of all local antennas employable for producing resonance images are stored in an antenna data file. The characteristic properties are defined by the antennas themselves. They are determined once and can then be applied to all antennas of the same type.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4629989 (1986-12-01), Riehl et al.
patent: 4924868 (1990-05-01), Krause et al.
patent: 5216367 (1993-06-01), Mori
patent: 5365927 (1994-11-01), Roemer et al.
patent: 5722410 (1998-03-01), NessAiver
patent: 5936406 (1999-08-01), Potthast
patent: 6087831 (2000-07-01), Bornert et al.
patent: 195 08 715 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 0 374 994 (1990-06-01), None
Risse Wolfgang
Seng Gerhard
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Smith Ruth S.
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