Magnetic resonance imaging system for generating a mammographic representation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201313-B2
Application number	US-201414585489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging system configured for generating a three-dimensional representation of at least one breast of a patient includes: a device configured for generating a homogeneous magnetic field; a system of active gradient coils configured for generating at least one magnetic field gradient within a measurement volume; at least one breast holder having an internal space configured for positioning the at least one breast during an MRI scan within the measurement volume; at least one local coil system that includes at least one individual coil, the at least one individual coil configured to act as an antenna for receiving magnetic resonance signals; and at least one cushion configured for stabilizing the at least one breast by filling the internal space between the at least one breast and an external boundary of the internal space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for generating a three-dimensional representation of at least one breast of a patient, the MRI system comprising:
magnetic coils configured for generating a homogeneous magnetic field;
a system of active gradient coils configured for generating at least one magnetic field gradient within a measurement volume;
at least one breast holder comprising an internal space configured for positioning the at least one breast during an MRI scan within the measurement volume;
at least one local coil system comprising at least one individual coil, the at least one individual coil configured to act as an antenna for receiving magnetic resonance signals; and
at least one cushion configured for stabilizing the at least one breast by filling the internal space between the at least one breast and an external boundary of the internal space;
wherein the at least one breast holder comprises the at least one cushion in the internal space, wherein the at least one cushion is configured to generate electromagnetic coupling in a region of magnetic resonance to the at least one individual coil of the at least one local coil system,
wherein the at least one cushion comprises at least one passive antenna element, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is configured for inductive coupling with the at least one individual coil,
wherein the at least one passive antenna element is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a surface of the at least one breast of the patient such that the at least one passive antenna element is disposed within the at least one cushion between an inner wall of the at least one breast holder and a surface of the at least one breast of the patient, and
wherein the at least one individual coil is disposed within the at least one breast holder at a distance from the at least one passive antenna element such that the at least one individual coil is positioned outside the at least one cushion.

2. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one passive antenna element is configured as a conductor track on a substrate.

3. The MRI system of claim 2 wherein the conductor track comprises copper.

4. The MRI system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of at least one capacitor and at least one inductor, an anti-parallel diode pair configured for passive detuning during transmission, a fuse, and combinations thereof.

5. The MRI system claim 4 , wherein a capacitance of the at least one capacitor is selected such that the at least one passive antenna element is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency.

6. The MRI system of claim 5 , wherein a value of the at least one inductor is selected such that the at least one inductor is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency used in the MRI system, and wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises the anti-parallel diode pair, such that the at least one passive antenna element is detuned for transmission.

7. The MRI system of claim 4 , wherein a value of the at least one inductor is selected such that the at least one inductor is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency used in the MRI system, and wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises the anti-parallel diode pair, such that at least one passive antenna element is detuned for transmission.

8. The MRI system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one breast holder comprises a first positioning structure, and wherein the at least one cushion comprises a complementary second positioning structure, wherein the first positioning structure and the complementary second positioning structure together provide a positioning of the at least one cushion in the at least one breast holder.

9. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of at least one capacitor and at least one inductor, an anti-parallel diode pair configured for passive detuning during transmission, a fuse, and combinations thereof.

10. The MRI system claim 9 , wherein a capacitance of the at least one capacitor is selected such that the at least one passive antenna element is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency.

11. The MRI system of claim 10 , wherein a value of the at least one inductor is selected such that the at least one inductor is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency used in the MRI system, and wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises the anti-parallel diode pair,such that the at least one passive antenna element is detuned for transmission.

12. The MRI system of claim 9 , wherein a value of the at least one inductor is selected such that the at least one inductor is resonant at a magnetic resonance frequency used in the MRI system, and wherein the at least one passive antenna element comprises the anti-parallel diode pair, such that the at least one passive antenna element is detuned for transmission.

13. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cushion comprises a material having a high relative permittivity.

14. The MRI system of claim 13 , wherein the relative permittivity has a value of at least 100.

15. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one breast holder comprises a first positioning structure, and wherein the at least one cushion comprises a complementary second positioning structure, wherein the first positioning structure and the complementary second positioning structure together provide a positioning of the at least one cushion in the at least one breast holder.

16. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cushion is interchangeable with a plurality of interchangeable cushion sets, wherein each cushion of the plurality of interchangeable cushion sets is configured for different breast sizes.

17. The MRI system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one local coil system comprises a plurality of individual coils.

18. The MRI system of claim 1 , further comprising a patient couch configured for horizontal support of the patient, wherein the patient couch comprises a respective opening for each breast to be examined, wherein the at least one breast holder comprises two breast holders assigned to each respective opening, and wherein each of the two breast holders comprise a local coil system. complementary second positioning structure together provide a positioning of the at least one cushion in the at least one breast holder.

19. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for generating a three-dimensional representation of at least one breast of a patient, the MRI system comprising:
a system of magnetic coils configured for generating a homogeneous magnetic field;
a system of active gradient coils configured for generating at least one magnetic field gradient within a measurement volume;
at least one breast holder comprising an internal space configured for positioning the at least one breast during an MRI scan within the measurement volume;
at least one local coil system comprising at least one individual coil, the at least one individual coil configured to act as an antenna for receiving magnetic resonance signals; and
at least one cushion configured for stabilizing the at least one breast by filling the internal space between the at least one breast and an external boundary of the internal space, the at least one cushion comprising at least one passive antenna element;
wherein the at least one breast holder comprises the

Assignees

• Rehner Robert
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Rehner Robert

Classifications

• A61B5/704

  Tables · CPC title

• A61B5/055 Primary

  involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging · CPC title

• A61B5/708 Primary

  Breast positioning means · CPC title

• G01R33/387

  Compensation of inhomogeneities · CPC title

• A61B5/4312

  Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis (optical mammography A61B5/0091) · CPC title