Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Patent
1997-01-06
1999-01-05
Smith, Ruth S.
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
600422, 324309, 324318, A61B 5055
Patent
active
058555552
ABSTRACT:
The present invention is an MRI system for imaging small superficial volumes, such as skin samples. Structurally, the present invention includes a permanent magnet formed to establish a channel. The permanent magnet establishes a static magnetic field within the channel having an imaging volume that is much smaller than the channel. The present invention also includes a probe having a tip. A gradient and radio frequency coil and a radio frequency sensing coil are mounted at the tip of the probe. Functionally, an object such as a human hand, is placed within the channel with the selected skin volume placed against the tip of the probe. Once so placed, atomic nuclei within the object become aligned with the static magnetic field. The gradient and radio frequency coils are then selectively enabled and disabled causing the atomic nuclei to alternately realign and relax. During relaxation, the atomic nuclei produce a characteristic signal which is sensed by the radio frequency sensing coil and assembled into a digital image of the object being imaged.
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