Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Siemens Healthineers Ag

Andreas Potthast

Markus Vester

Stephan Biber

Jürgen Nistler

Andre De Oliveira

Adam Paul Johnstone

Adrian Bampton

Volker Model

Wilhelm Duerr

Thomas Benner

Georg Pirkl

Rudi Baumgartl

Hermann Requardt

Georg Rauh

Guenther Decke

Pascal Mühlich

Matthias Buettner

A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus includes exciting a body coil of the MRI apparatus to emit a radio-frequency signal, determining a center frequency of a resonance curve of the body coil, and calculating a magnet target frequency based on the determined center frequency. A magnet is ramped to the magnet target frequency.

Operating an MRI apparatus

A calibration method for calibrating a measuring element for determining an electric current flowing through a basic-field magnet of a magnetic resonance imaging system includes performing a measurement with the measuring element, and performing a frequency measurement in the magnetic field of the basic-field magnet with a frequency measuring unit. The measurement of the measuring element and the frequency measurement are corresponding to the same magnetic field of the basic-field magnet. The calibration method also includes calculating a calibration factor based on a deviation between the measurement with the measuring element and the frequency measurement, and calibrating the measuring element or the electric current in the basic-field magnet based on the calibration factor.

Method and device for controlling a magnetic resonance imaging system

A method is provided for performing a quality analysis of a radio frequency (RF) coil of a magnetic resonance imaging device. In an operational mode, the RF coil is configured to acquire MR signals from an object to be observed. In a test mode: a test signal is emitted by a RF transmitter; the test signal from the RF transmitter is received directly by the RF coil, wherein the RF coil provides an output signal; and a performance indicator is provided by analyzing the output signal of the RF coil for performing the quality analysis.

Method and magnetic resonance imaging device for performing a quality analysis of a radio frequency coil

In a method for automatically supporting an operator in working through an execution sequence protocol with a number of sequence steps, with which a person under examination is being examined in a medical imaging facility, the execution sequence protocol to be carried out for the person under examination is determined, and image data are acquired that show a field of vision of at least a part of the environment of the medical imaging facility and the person under examination, as seen by the operator. A next sequence step of the execution sequence protocol is determined that is to be carried out by the operator. Visual information is created that will inform the operator about the operating step to be carried out, and the visual information is project at a viewing facility for displaying an augmented reality to the operator, in which the field of vision is presented augmented by the visual information.

Method and system for displaying an augmented reality to an operator of a medical imaging apparatus

A magnetic resonance system has a first installation unit, in which a control processor device is arranged, as well as a radio-frequency coil arrangement for transmitting and receiving magnetic resonance signals. The radio-frequency coil arrangement is controlled or read out by a transmit device, having a digital transmit unit built into the first installation unit for emitting a digital transmit signal to an analog transmit unit, which outputs an analog transmit signal based on the digital transmit signal, and by a receiving apparatus, having at least one analog reception unit for converting an analog received signal into a digital reception signal and at least one digital reception unit for digital demodulation of the received signal. The digital reception unit is built into a further installation unit external to the first installation unit.

Magnetic resonance apparatus with structurally separate RF transmit and RF reception devices

In a method for determining the position of at least one local antenna in an examination chamber of a magnetic resonance apparatus, magnetic resonance signals emitted by a body arranged in the examination chamber are received, locus-encoded in at least one coordinate direction, by an antenna that has a homogeneous sensitivity distribution. From the received magnetic resonance signals, image data that are locus-resolved in the at least one coordinate direction are produced in the form of first intensity values. Magnetic resonance signals emitted by the body are received, locus-encoded in the coordinate direction, by the at least one local antenna. From the received magnetic resonance signals, image data that are locus-resolved in the at least one coordinate direction are produced in the form of second intensity values. From the second intensity values, normalized intensity values are formed by relating the second intensity values respectively to the first intensity values belonging to the same coordinate values. The normalized intensity values are searched for their largest value. A coordinate value that belongs to the largest normalized intensity value indicates the position of the at least one local antenna in the coordinate direction.

Method for determining the position of a local antenna in an examination

A switch matrix has a set of inputs, a set of outputs, controllable switch elements and a conductor arrangement that is connected to the inputs and outputs and to the controllable switch elements. The controllable switch elements together with the conductor arrangement produce switched electrical connection paths between at least two inputs and an output. The electrical connection paths contain connecting branches that, proceeding from the at least two inputs and the output, meet at a junction point. The connecting branches connected to the at least two inputs have identical electrical lengths up to the junction point.

Switch matrix

In a local antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus, an antenna structure is connected to a signal generator via an inhibiting circuit. The signal generator is fashioned to generate and emit a detection signal from the radio-frequency signal received from the antenna structure when the local antenna is not connected. The inhibiting circuit is fashioned to electrically decouple the signal generator from the antenna structure when the local antenna is connected.

Local antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus

An antenna for a magnetic resonance apparatus has an antenna conductor that can be adapted to examination regions of different sizes, with one region of the antenna conductor divided into conductor sections. The conductor sections are connected to one another via capacitive elements, with the conductor sections and the capacitive elements connected alternating in series. The conductor sections are connectable to the remaining antenna conductor via releasable electrical connections.

Adaptable antenna for a magnetic resonance apparatus including a wiper

A double surface coil for a nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus has two individual coils which are connectable to a transmission/reception circuit via a matching network. The coils are connected together at a junction. Each coil has a controllable switch connected between the junction and the matching circuit. The individual surface coils can thus be controlled with a low number of controlled elements in any desired operating mode.

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Erlangen, Germany

Andreas Potthast