Magnetic resonance imaging device with a concave-shaped field generation unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023003816-A1
Application number	US-202217853093-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2021
Publication date	Jan 5, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging device having a field generation unit configured to provide a magnetic field in an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device. The field generation unit has at least one magnet. A surface of the field generation unit directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet has a concave shape, wherein a direction of access to the imaging volume is oriented essentially perpendicular to a main direction of magnetic field lines in the imaging volume.

First claim

1 . A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
a field generation unit configured to provide a magnetic field in an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance imaging device, and comprising at least one magnet, wherein a surface of the field generation unit directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet comprises a concave shape, and a direction of access to the imaging volume is oriented essentially perpendicular to a main direction of magnetic field lines in the imaging volume.

2 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is configured to accommodate a patient in a sitting position on the surface directed towards the imaging volume, and the at least one magnet comprises at least one recess configured to accommodate a leg of the patient positioned in the sitting position.

3 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a positioning aid configured to support a patient in maintaining a correct posture for performing a magnetic resonance imaging measurement, wherein the correct posture is characterized by a predefined relative position between the patient and the magnetic resonance imaging device, and at least a part of a target anatomy of the patient is covered by the imaging volume when the patient is positioned in the correct posture.

4 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the positioning aid comprises:
an adjustment unit configured to adjust a position and/or an orientation of the positioning aid relative to the at least one magnet; and a processing unit configured to receive patient information and control the adjustment unit to adapt the position and/or orientation of the positioning aid in dependence of the patient information.

5 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is configured to provide access to the imaging volume along at least two perpendicular spatial directions, and each of the two perpendicular spatial directions is oriented essentially perpendicular to the main direction of magnetic field lines in the imaging volume.

6 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet is shaped to match at least a part of a contour of a body region of a patient, and wherein the body region of the patient is selected from a group of body regions consisting of: a spinal region, a facial region, a pelvic region, a breast region, an abdominal region, and an extremity of the patient.

7 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet is shaped to match a contour of the pelvic region of the patient and configured to accommodate the patient in a sitting position, and at least a part of a prostate and/or a lymph node in proximity to the prostate of the patient is positioned within the imaging volume, when the patient is positioned in the sitting position.

8 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the field generation unit comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position and/or orientation of at least a part of the field generation unit and modify a property of the magnetic field provided via the field generation unit, and the property of the magnetic field comprises at least one of a shape of the imaging volume, a position of the imaging volume, a magnetic field strength and/or a direction of magnetic field lines.

9 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one magnet comprises an element selected from a group consisting of: a permanent magnet, an array of permanent magnets, a resistive coil, an array of resistive coils, a high temperature superconductor, and a low temperature superconductor, and wherein the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet corresponds to a pole face of the at least one magnet and/or a surface of a material of the at least one magnet configured to provide a magnetic field.

10 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet comprises a hole, and the hole is configured to provide an access to the imaging volume from a side of the at least one magnet, which is directed away from the imaging volume.

11 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the field generation unit comprises a gradient field system including at least one gradient coil, which is configured to provide a magnetic gradient field within the imaging volume, wherein a surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one gradient coil comprises a concave shape, and wherein the at least one gradient coil is positioned adjacent to the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet.

12 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the field generation unit comprises a gradient field system including at least one gradient coil, wherein the at least one gradient coil is recessed into the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet, wherein the at least one gradient coil is configured to provide a magnetic gradient field within the imaging volume, and wherein the surface directed towards the imaging volume of the at least one magnet corresponds to a pole face of the at least one magnet and/or a surface of a material of the at least one magnet configured to provide a magnetic field.

13 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one gradient coil comprises at least one recess configured to accommodate a leg of the patient.

14 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein the field generation unit comprises a hole passing through the at least one gradient coil and the at least one magnet, and the hole is configured to provide an access to the imaging volume from a side of the at least one magnet directed away from the imaging volume.

15 . The magnetic resonance imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises the shape of a hyperboloid, and the at least one magnet is configured to provide a toroidal imaging volume circumferentially enclosing the at least one magnet along at least a section of the at least one magnet.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Mallett Michael
• Thomas Adrian Mark
• Popescu Stefan
• Krug Andreas
• Gebhardt Matthias
• Biber Stephan
• Greiser Andreas

Classifications

• G01R33/385

  using gradient magnetic field coils · CPC title

• G01R33/3806 Primary

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

• G01R33/3815

  with superconducting coils, e.g. power supply therefor · CPC title

• G01R33/383

  using permanent magnets · CPC title

• G01R33/3808 Primary

  Magnet assemblies for single-sided MR wherein the magnet assembly is located on one side of a subject only; Magnet assemblies for inside-out MR, e.g. for MR in a borehole or in a blood vessel, or magnet assemblies for fringe-field MR · CPC title