Mobile magnetic resonance tomography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709647-B2
Application number	US-201414276508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile magnetic resonance tomography system having magnets and/or coils generating a magnetic field and a shield surrounding the magnets and/or coils is intended to enable an optimal image quality during the examination and at the same time have a small space requirement. For this purpose, a temperature is measured at a plurality of points on the shield by a temperature measuring system, where measured data of the temperature measuring system is sent to a compensation system, and where effects of temperature differences on the homogeneity of the magnetic field are compensated by the compensation system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a mobile magnetic resonance tomography system having magnets, coils, or magnets and coils generating a magnetic field and a shield surrounding the magnets, the coils, or the magnets and coils, the method comprising:
measuring temperatures at a plurality of points on the shield by a temperature measuring system;
sending measured data of the temperature measuring system to a compensation system;
determining a highest measured temperature in the compensation system; and
compensating for effects of temperature differences on a homogeneity of the magnetic field by the compensation system,
wherein the temperatures are adjusted to the highest measured temperature at each point of the plurality of points.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature differences are equalized by a plurality of heating elements, cooling elements, or heating and cooling elements of the compensation system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a number of auxiliary coils of the compensation system are energized with electric current based on the measured temperatures.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a frequency of a frequency generator for a transmit coil of the magnetic resonance tomography system is varied based on the measured temperatures.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic resonance tomography system is operated during the performance of a measurement.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the temperatures at the plurality of points is performed by a plurality of connected temperature sensors disposed on the shield.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shield is positioned above, below, and on both sides of the magnets, the coils, or the magnets and the coils.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the compensation system is configured to determine a three-dimensional temperature distribution based on the position of the shield.

9. A mobile magnetic resonance tomography system comprising:
magnets, coils, or magnets and coils for generating a magnetic field;
a shield surrounding the magnets, the coils, or the magnets and coils;
a temperature measuring system having temperature measuring sensors arranged at a plurality of points on the shield; and
a compensation system connected to the temperature measuring system, wherein the compensation system is configured to compensate for effects of temperature differences on a homogeneity of the magnetic field,
wherein the compensation system is configured to determine a highest measured temperature and adjust temperatures at each point of the plurality of points to the highest measured temperature.

10. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the compensation system comprises a plurality of heating elements, cooling elements, or heating and cooling elements.

11. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising a frequency generator for a transmit coil, wherein the frequency generator is connected to the compensation system on a measured data input side.

12. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to compensate for the effects of temperature differences on the homogeneity of the magnetic field during performance of a measurement.

13. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the system is configured to compensate for the effects of temperature differences on the homogeneity of the magnetic field during the performance of a measurement.

14. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the compensation system comprises a number of auxiliary coils, wherein the compensation system is configured to apply an electric current to the number of auxiliary coils.

15. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a frequency generator for a transmit coil, wherein the frequency generator is connected to the compensation system on a measured data input side.

16. The magnetic resonance tomography system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the system is configured to compensate for the effects of temperature differences on the homogeneity of the magnetic field during performance of a measurement.

17. A motorized vehicle or motorized vehicle trailer comprising:
a magnetic resonance tomography system comprising:
magnets, coils, or magnets and coils for generating a magnetic field;
a shield surrounding the magnets, the coils, or the magnets and coils;
a temperature measuring system having temperature measuring sensors arranged at a plurality of points on the shield; and
a compensation system connected to the temperature measuring system,
wherein the compensation system is configured to compensate for effects of temperature differences on a homogeneity of the magnetic field,
wherein the compensation system is configured to determine a highest measured temperature and adjust temperatures at each point of the plurality of points to the highest measured temperature.

Assignees

• Dewdney Andrew
• Drobnitzky Matthias
• Ladebeck Ralf
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Dewdney Andrew
• Drobnitzky Matthias
• Ladebeck Ralf

Classifications

• G01R33/387 Primary

  Compensation of inhomogeneities · CPC title

• G01R33/3875

  using correction coil assemblies, e.g. active shimming · CPC title

• G01R33/389

  Field stabilisation {, e.g. by field measurements and control means or indirectly by current stabilisation} · CPC title

• G01R33/3804 Primary

  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

• G01R33/4804

  Spatially selective measurement of temperature or pH · CPC title