Magnetic resonance imaging system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11501460-B2
Application number	US-202017103258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2020
Priority date	Nov 27, 2019
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

In a method for performing a magnetic resonance measurement of an organ structure of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging system adapted to the imaging of the organ structure: a correct positioning of the organ structure of the patient is ascertained, a correct positioning of the magnetic resonance imaging system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient is ascertained, a magnetic resonance scanning protocol is selected, a spatial coverage of the magnetic resonance measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged is adjusted, and the magnetic resonance measurement is performed to acquire magnetic resonance image data of the organ structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for performing a magnetic resonance (MR) measurement of an organ structure of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for imaging of the organ structure, the method comprising:
ascertaining, via a processor, a correct positioning of the organ structure of the patient for the MR measurement;
ascertaining a correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient, by acquiring, via the processor: a sensor signal indicative of a current relative position between the organ structure and at least one reference point of the MRI system, information indicative of a physical characteristic of the patient, and/or localizer image data of the patient, wherein the ascertaining of the correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient includes: performing a localizer measurement to acquire the localizer image data of the patient, and detecting a landmark within the localizer image data, the landmark being a tooth and/or an eye of the patient;
determining, via the processor, a required modification to the positioning of the MRI system based on the acquired sensor signal, the acquired information, and/or the acquired localizer image data;
automatically adjusting, via the processor, a position of at least one part of a magnetic field generator of the MRI system based on the required modification and the detected landmark;
selecting, via the processor, a MR scanning protocol for performing the MR measurement of the organ structure;
adjusting, via the processor, a spatial coverage of the MR measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged; and
controlling, via the processor, the MRI system to perform the MR measurement to acquire MR image data of the organ structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining of the correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient comprises:
acquiring information indicative of an imaging situation, wherein the determining the required modification to the positioning of the MRI system is further based on the imaging situation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
providing guidance to the patient with regard to the MR measurement, wherein:
a position of the patient is analyzed based on a sensor signal indicative of a current relative position of the organ structure and the MRI system, and
the guidance to the patient comprises providing visual and/or audible information on at least a posture of the patient based on the analyzed position of the patient.

4. A non-transitory computer program product which includes a program and is directly loadable into a memory of the MRI system, when executed by a processor of the MRI system, causes the processor to perform the method as claimed in claim 1 .

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, that when executed, instructs a processor to perform the method of claim 1 .

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
ascertaining the correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient comprises: acquiring, via the processor, the sensor signal indicative of the current relative position between the organ structure and the at least one reference point of the MRI system, the information indicative of the physical characteristic of the patient, and the localizer image data of the patient; and
determining the required modification comprises determining, via the processor, the required modification to the positioning of the MRI system based on the acquired sensor signal, the acquired information, and the acquired localizer image data.

7. A method for preforming a magnetic resonance (MR) measurement of an organ structure of a patient using a magnetic resonate imaging (MRI) system configured for imaging of the organ structure, the method comprising:
ascertaining, via a processor, a correct positioning of the organ structure of the patient for the MR measurement, wherein the organ structure is at least one tooth or at least one eye of the patient;
ascertaining a correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient, by acquiring, via the processor: a sensor signal indicative of a current relative position between the organ structure and at least one reference point of the MRI system, information indicative of a physical characteristic of the patient, and/or localizer image data of the patient, wherein the ascertaining of the correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient including acquiring optical image data, via an optical sensor, of the at least one eye and/or a jaw region including the at least one tooth;
determining, via the processor, a required modification to the positioning of the MRI system based on the acquired sensor signal, the acquired information, and/or the acquired localizer image data;
automatically adjusting, via the processor, a position of at least one part of a magnetic field generator of the MRI system based on the required modification and the acquired optical image data;
selecting, via the processor, a MR scanning protocol for performing the MR measurement of the organ structure;
adjusting, via the processor, a spatial coverage of the MR measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged; and
controlling, via the processor, the MRI system to perform the MR measurement to acquire MR image data of the organ structure.

8. A method for performing a magnetic resonance (MR) measurement of an organ structure of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured for imaging of the organ structure, the method comprising:
ascertaining, vis a processor, a correct positioning of the organ structure of the patient for the MR measurement;
ascertaining a correct positioning of the MRI system with regard to the positioning of the organ structure of the patient, by acquiring, via the processor: a sensor signal indicative of a current relative position between the organ structure and at least one reference point of the MRI system, information indicative of a physical characteristic of the patient, and/or localizer image data of the patient;
determining, via the processor, a required modification to the positioning of the MRI system based on the acquired sensor signal, the acquired information, and/or the acquired localizer image data;
automatically adjusting, via the processor, a position of at least one part of a magnetic field generator of the MRI system based on the required modification;
selecting, via the processor, a MR scanning protocol for performing the MR measurement of the organ structure;
acquiring a sensor signal indicative of a position of the and/or posture of the patient;
adjusting, via the processor, a spatial coverage of the MR measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged, wherein the adjusting of the spatial coverage of the MR measurement with regard to the organ structure to be imaged includes an iterative adjustment of a field of view of the MR measurement based on a body model of the patient and the sensor signal indicative of the position and/or posture of the patient; and
controlling, via the processor, the MRI system to perform the MR measurement to acquire MR image data of the organ structure.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor signal includes data from an optical sensor, a distance sensor, a position sensor, a pressure sensor, and/or a thermal sensor.

10. The met

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Rinck Daniel
• Grodzki David
• Kartmann Rene
• Zeller Mario

Classifications

• A61B5/702

  Posture restraints · CPC title

• G06T7/70 Primary

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• A61B5/055 Primary

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

• G01R33/3806

  Open magnet assemblies for improved access to the sample, e.g. C-type or U-type magnets · CPC title

• G01R33/283

  Intercom or optical viewing arrangements, structurally associated with NMR apparatus · CPC title