Identifying transmission/reception coils of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner with the aid of electronically readable labels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903897-B2
Application number	US-201313974573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2013
Priority date	Aug 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A device for identifying a local coil property of a local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging scanner includes at least one label configured to transmit at least one identity number wirelessly. The device also includes at least one reading unit with a reading-unit antenna. The reading unit is configured to receive the at least one identity number. The device includes an identification apparatus configured to identify a local coil property of the local coil based on the at least one received identity number.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for identifying a local coil property of a local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, the device comprising:
a plurality of labels integrated within the local coil, wherein the local coil is positionable on a patient table, and wherein each label of the plurality of labels stores a unique identity number and is configured to transmit the respective identity number wirelessly by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) signal;
a reading unit comprising one or more reading-unit antennae integrated within the patient table, the reading unit configured to receive the identity number of each label when the local coil is positioned on the patient table; and
an identification apparatus configured to determine a position of each label of the plurality of labels.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to detect the local coil without a wired connection of the local coil to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to identify an inexpedient or forbidden number or combination of local coils, to detect too few or too many local coils attached to the patient table for a measurement mode of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, or a combination thereof.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to determine local coils not plugged onto the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, the patient table, or the MRI scanner and the patient table by a comparison of the local coils detected by received identity numbers with local coils plugged onto the MRI scanner, the patient table, or the MRI scanner and the patient table, the local coil being one of the local coils, the identity number being one of the identity numbers.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of labels comprises a label that transmits the identity number, a label that is readable wirelessly by the reading unit, or a label that transmits the identity number and is readable wirelessly by the reading unit.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of labels comprises an RFID label operable to transmit the RFID signal, and
wherein the reading unit is an RFID reading unit.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the identity number, only stored in a label of the plurality of labels, is stored in the label of the plurality of labels in a storage medium.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more reading-unit antennae are configured to read signals that are emitted by the plurality of labels and transmit the identity number, the RFID signals, radio signals, or a combination thereof.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reading unit comprises one or more integrated or spatially separated reading antennas.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the identification apparatus is configured to establish, with a database, data relating to the local coil property of the local coil for the identity number received wirelessly from each label of the plurality of labels using a reading-unit antenna of the one or more reading-unit antennae, and
wherein the data comprises data relating to a local coil type of the local coil, data representing a coil serial number of the local coil, or a combination thereof.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, by using a reading-unit antenna of the one or more reading-unit antennae, signals, a signal strength of the signals, or the signals and the signal strength of the signals are readable from each label of the plurality of labels, and
wherein the device is configured to determine a position of the local coil on which the plurality of labels is arranged.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a database, in which at least one local coil property is stored for each identity number of one or more identity numbers, the identify number being one of the one or more identity numbers.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of reading units, a plurality of reading antennas, or the plurality of reading units and the plurality of reading antennas, the reading unit being one of the plurality of reading units.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the local coil is a local coil arrangement with only one antenna or one local coil array.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a separate plurality of labels integrated on the local coil or within the local coil, each label of the separate plurality of labels configured to transmit a separate identity number wirelessly;
a separate reading unit comprising one or more reading-unit antennae integrated within the patient table, the reading unit configured to receive the separate identity number of each label of the separate plurality of labels.

16. A device for identifying a local coil property of a local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, the device comprising:
one or more labels integrated within a patient table, wherein each label stores a unique identity number and is configured to transmit the respective identity number wirelessly by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) signal;
a reading unit comprising one or more reading-unit antennae integrated within the local coil, the reading unit configured to wirelessly receive the identity number; and
an identification apparatus configured to identify the local coil property of the local coil based on the received identity number.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the identification apparatus is further configured to:
identify a patient table property of the patient table; and
establish, with a database, data relating to the patient table property of the patient table for the identity number received wirelessly from a label of the one or more labels using a reading-unit antenna of the one or more reading-unit antennae,
wherein the data comprises data representing a patient table type of the patient table, data representing a patient table serial number of the patient table, data representing patient table features of the patient table, data representing a position of the label on the patient table, or a combination thereof.

18. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein, by using a reading-unit antenna of the one or more reading-unit antennae, signals, a signal strength of the signals, or the signals and the signal strength of the signals are readable from a label of the one or more labels, and
wherein the device is configured to determine a position of the label, a position of the patient table, in which the label is integrated, or the position of the label and the position of the patient table, in which the label is integrated.

19. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the one or more labels comprises a plurality of electronically readable labels.

20. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the one or more reading-units comprises a plurality of reading units, and
wherein the plurality of reading units is integrated within the local coil.

21. A method for identifying a local coil property of a local coil for a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, the method comprising:
positioning the local coil on a patient table, wherein the local coil comprises a plurality of labels integrated within the local coil, and wherein each label of the plurality of labels stores a unique identity number;
transmitting the respective identity number wirelessly by

Assignees

• Biber Stephan
• Metz Gerhard
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Biber Stephan
• Metz Gerhard

Classifications

• G01R33/20

  involving magnetic resonance (medical aspects A61B5/055; magnetic resonance gyrometers G01C19/60) · CPC title

• G01R33/24

  for measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux · CPC title

• G01R27/28 Primary

  Measuring attenuation, gain, phase shift or derived characteristics of electric four pole networks, i.e. two-port networks; Measuring transient response (in line transmission systems H04B3/46) · CPC title

• G01R33/3692 Primary

  involving signal transmission without using electrically conductive connections, e.g. wireless communication or optical communication of the MR signal or an auxiliary signal other than the MR signal · 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