Determining a remaining time during medical imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10912529-B2
Application number	US-201715650346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A method for determining a current remaining time during a measurement for the purpose of medical imaging, an evaluation unit, a medical imaging device, and a computer program product are provided. The method provides for a permitted operating range and an item of extrapolation information regarding the critical event to be provided. The current remaining time is determined by an evaluation unit based on the permitted operating range and the item of extrapolation information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for determining a current remaining time during a measurement for the purpose of medical imaging, the method comprising:
providing a permitted operating range;
providing an item of extrapolation information regarding at least one critical event, wherein the extrapolation information comprises an item of pulse sequence information and at least one value determined by measurement;
determining, by an evaluation unit, the current remaining time based on the permitted operating range and the item of extrapolation information, such that the current remaining time is a time duration for continuing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging within the permitted operating range, wherein a dependency between the item of pulse sequence information and the critical event is calibrated with the aid of the at least one value determined by measurement;
providing a minimum remaining time, the minimum remaining time being a time period to allow for influencing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging such that harm to a patient is avoided;
comparing, by the evaluation unit, the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time; and
outputting an output signal as a function of an outcome of the comparison of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging comprises a magnetic resonance measurement, a computed tomography measurement, an X-ray measurement, a mammography measurement, a positron emission tomography measurement, a single photon emission computer tomography measurement, a scintigraphy measurement, a sonography measurement, a thermography measurement, an electrical impedance tomography measurement, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one critical event comprises a heating of at least one body part of a patient caused by an energy absorption, a peripheral nerve stimulation of the patient, or the heating of the at least one body part of the patient caused by the energy absorption and the peripheral nerve stimulation of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a position of an interventional instrument during the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the current remaining time comprises an averaging.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the current remaining time comprises a worst-case view.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting a warning message as the output signal in the case of the current remaining time being less than the minimum remaining time.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing a pulse sequence depending on the outcome of the comparison of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising changing a repetition time, a flip angle, a transmit voltage, a transmit mode or a combination thereof of the pulse sequence.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising restoring at least one changed measurement parameter in the case of the current remaining time being less than the minimum remaining time extended by a safety margin.

11. An evaluation unit comprising:
an arithmetic-logic unit configured to determine a current remaining time during a measurement for the purpose of medical imaging, the determination of the current remaining time comprising:
provision of a permitted operating range;
provision of an item of extrapolation information regarding at least one critical event, wherein the extrapolation information comprises an item of pulse sequence information and at least one value determined by measurement;
determination of the current remaining time based on the permitted operating range and the item of extrapolation information, such that the current remaining time is a time duration for continuing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging within the permitted operating range, wherein a dependency between the item of pulse sequence information and the critical event is calibrated with the aid of the at least one value determined by measurement;
provision of a minimum remaining time, the minimum remaining time being a time period to allow for influencing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging such that harm to a patient is avoided;
comparison, by the evaluation unit, of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time; and
output of an output signal as a function of an outcome of the comparison of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time.

12. A medical imaging device comprising:
an evaluation unit comprising:
an arithmetic-logic unit configured to determine a current remaining time during a measurement for the purpose of medical imaging, the determination of the current remaining time comprising:
provision of a permitted operating range;
provision of an item of extrapolation information regarding at least one critical event, wherein the extrapolation information comprises an item of pulse sequence information and at least one value determined by measurement;
determination of the current remaining time based on the permitted operating range and the item of extrapolation information, such that the current remaining time is a time duration for continuing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging within the permitted operating range, wherein a dependency between the item of pulse sequence information and the critical event is calibrated with the aid of the at least one value determined by measurement;
provision of a minimum remaining time, the minimum remaining time being a time period to allow for influencing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging such that harm to a patient is avoided;
comparison, by the evaluation unit, of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time; and
output of an output signal as a function of an outcome of the comparison of the current remaining time with the minimum remaining time.

13. The medical imaging device of claim 12 , further comprising a magnetic resonance device, a computed tomography device, an X-ray device, a mammography device, a positron emission tomography device, a single photon emission computer tomography device, a scintigraphy device, a sonography device, a thermography device, an electrical impedance tomography device, or any combination thereof.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a programmable arithmetic-logic unit of an evaluation unit to determine a current remaining time during a measurement for the purpose of medical imaging, the instructions comprising:
providing a permitted operating range;
providing an item of extrapolation information regarding at least one critical event, wherein the extrapolation information comprises an item of pulse sequence information and at least one value determined by measurement;
determining the current remaining time based on the permitted operating range and the item of extrapolation information, such that the current remaining time is a time duration for continuing the measurement for the purpose of medical imaging within the permitted operating range, wherein a dependency between the item of pulse sequence information and the critical event is calibrated with the aid of the at least one value determined by measurement;
providing a minimum remaining time, the minimum remaining time being a time period to allow for influencing the measurement for the purpose of medic

Assignees

• Schneider Rainer
• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Schneider Rainer

Classifications

• A61B5/055

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

• G16H20/40 Primary

  relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture · CPC title

• G01R33/288

  Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room · CPC title

• G06F3/0484

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• A61B6/037

  Emission tomography · CPC title