Implantable or insertable nuclear magnetic resonant imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9268002-B2
Application number	US-201213469671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2012
Priority date	Sep 30, 2009
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

Nuclear Magnetic Resonant Imaging (also called Magnetic Resonant Imaging or “MRI”) devices which are implantable, internal or insertable are provided. The disclosure describes ways to miniaturize, simplify, calibrate, cool, and increase the utility of MRI systems for structural investigative purposes, and for biological investigation and potential treatment. It teaches use of target objects of fixed size, shape and position for calibration and comparison to obtain accurate images. It further teaches cooling of objects under test by electrically conductive leads or electrically isolated leads; varying the magnetic field of the probe to move chemicals or ferrous metallic objects within the subject. The invention also teaches comparison of objects using review of the frequency components of a received signal rather than by a pictorial representation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of cooling an insertable, movable, or implantable magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) system comprising:
inserting or moving an MRI device or a portion thereof;
cooling the inserted MRI device or a portion thereof by use of an extrinsic cooling unit leads which remove heat from the inserted MRI device by thermal conduction, convection or radiation; and
providing a series of tubing leads filled with an electrically conductive fluid which conducts electricity to and from the inserted MRI device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tubing leads further uses the electrically conducting fluid for electrical transmission to and from the inserted MRI device and for cooling to remove thermal load; and which circulates the electrically conductive fluid, wherein the series of tubing leads are hollow and tubular, and carry a cooling electrically-conductive liquid conduct electrical impulses to and from the inserted MRI device, for electrically-isolated cooling to remove thermal load; and wherein the tubing leads are electrically isolated from each other.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein MRI magnets position chemical elements, wherein the magnetic field of the inserted MRI device is increased or decreased to move magnetically affected particles throughout the object under test.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein MRI magnets position chemical elements, wherein the magnetic field of an MRI machine is increased or decreased to move magnetically affected particles throughout an object under test, and wherein additional cooling is provided during a period of magnetic activity to increase speed of chemical movement or move ferrous objects.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting fluid comprises a saline solution in water.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tubing leads are filled with an external electrode which introduces current for magnetic or radio-frequency MRI use and the external electrode is carried by the electrically conducting fluid to the inserted MRI device.

7. A method of cooling a magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) system comprising:
inserting an MRI device or a portion thereof with solid or stranded electrically-conducting cooling leads; and
cooling the inserted MRI device or a portion thereof by use of an extrinsic cooling unit lead which removes heat from the inserted MRI device by thermal conduction;
wherein MRI magnets position chemical elements, wherein the magnetic field of the inserted MRI device is increased or decreased to move magnetically affected particles throughout an object under test.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cooling is performed by electrical wiring made of a conducting metal; with the electrical wiring conducting electrical impulses to and from the inserted MRI device, and with the electric wiring extrinsically cooled to remove thermal load at a position outside the inserted MRI device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a non-electrically conductive, thermally-conductive cooled material which is in contact with the electrical wiring to dissipate heat.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein electrical wiring conducts electrical impulses to and from the inserted MRI device, and wherein the cooling is performed by a thermally conducting material adjacent to the insulation of the electrical wiring, being extrinsically cooled to remove thermal load at a position outside the inserted MRI device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the thermally conducting material is adjacent to an outer wire insulation and attached to a solid heat drain.

12. A method of cooling an insertable, movable, or implantable magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) system comprising:
inserting or moving an MRI device or a portion thereof; and
cooling the inserted MRI device or a portion thereof by use of an extrinsic cooling unit leads which remove heat from the inserted MRI device by thermal conduction, convection, or radiation,
wherein MRI magnets position chemical elements, wherein the magnetic field of the inserted MRI device is increased or decreased to move magnetically affected particles throughout an object under test.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing tubing leads which uses a heat conducting fluid such as water for cooling to remove thermal load, and which circulate the fluid, without conducting electricity to and from the inserted MRI device.

Assignees

• Chantz Hyman D
• IBM

Inventors

• Chantz Hyman D

Classifications

• G01R33/3804

  Additional hardware for cooling or heating of the magnet assembly, for housing a cooled or heated part of the magnet assembly or for temperature control of the magnet assembly · CPC title

• G01R33/58

  Calibration of imaging systems, e.g. using test probes {, Phantoms; Calibration objects or fiducial markers such as active or passive RF coils surrounding an MR active material} · 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

• G01R33/32

  Excitation or detection systems, e.g. using radio frequency signals · CPC title

• G01R23/00

  Arrangements for measuring frequencies; Arrangements for analysing frequency spectra · CPC title