General Electric Company

Magnetic Diagnostics, Inc.

Varian, Inc.

Magnetic Diagnostic, Inc.

Boban K John

Marvin H Anderson

James N Shoolery

Thomas W Schleich

Ralph Eugene Hurd

Harris D Plant

Knut G Mehr

Daina Zofija Avizonis

John Mark Dixon

According to some embodiments, a synthetic nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) reference signal is injected into the receive path of an NMR spectrometer, after the NMR probe and before the receive amplifier. The synthetic signal is generated using a transmit path for the same channel or for a different channel than the reference signal detection channel. The reference signal is coupled from a transmit-path reference signal coupler situated before a transmit amplifier to a receive-path reference signal coupler situated between the probe and the receive amplifier. The reference signal couplers may include passive directional couplers and/or active switches. The synthetic signal samples the receive path of the system but is not substantially affected by intra-probe interactions. Using a well-defined existing NMR channel to generate the reference signal allows superior control of reference signal characteristics, and does not require a dedicated spare channel for the reference signal.

Electronic NMR reference signal systems and methods

A magnet assembly for a small scale NMR spectroscopy apparatus suitable for laboratory or home use, generally comprising two permanent magnets facing one another so that the facing surfaces have opposite polarities, a pole cap on each of the two facing surfaces of the permanent magnets, and a plurality of radially polarized canceling magnets disposed about the permanent magnets and pole caps. The design and position of the radially polarized canceling magnets about the tapered pole caps reduces leakage of the magnetic field, to maintain the magnetic field strength and homogeneity within the test region, without a disadvantageous increase in the size, weight and cost of the NMR apparatus. A curved edge ring shim may be used to increase magnetic field homogeneity in the test region. Also provided is a method for measurement of glucose concentration in a fluid using NMR spectroscopy. In one aspect of the invention the fluid is a patient's body fluid and the invention provides for in vivo measurement of the glucose concentration. The method comprises spectral editing in which a RF pulse sequence is used to isolate desired resonances of glucose and thereby facilitate resolution of the glucose signal.

Small scale NMR spectroscopic apparatus and method

A signal function S(t.sub.1, t.sub.2) is obtained from a plurality of coherence transfer pathways in a single acquisition by preparing a molecular system in a coherent non-equilibrium state, and alternately and sequentially detecting signals at individual sampling points, in t.sub.2, from the plurality of coherence transfer pathways by using gradient refocusing of a new pathway after signal detection at a sampling point in another pathway. A frequency domain spectrum S(.omega..sub.1,.omega..sub.2) is constructed by first Fourier transforming the time domain signals S(t.sub.1, t.sub.2) in the t.sub.2 dimension and producing real and imaginary components which modulate as sine and cosine signals in t.sub.1. The real (.omega..sub.2) cosine (t.sub.1) components are combined with the imaginary (.omega..sub.2) sine (t.sub.1) components to form a complex data set S(t.sub.1, .omega..sub.2) that is amplitude modulated in t.sub.1. The complex data set is then Fourier transformed in the t.sub.1 dimension to construct in frequency domain spectrum S(.omega..sub.1, .omega..sub.2) which contains pure absorption lineshapes.

Method and apparatus for obtaining pure-absorption two-dimensional

A signal function S(t.sub.1, t.sub.2) is obtained from a plurality of coherence transfer pathways in a single acquisition by preparing a molecular system in a coherent non-equilibrium state, and alternately and sequentially detecting signals at individual sampling points, in t.sub.2, from the plurality of coherence transfer pathways by using gradient refocusing of a new pathway after siganl detection at a sampling point in another pathway. The gradient encoding and refocusing of coherence pathways can use inhomogeneous rf-pulses (B.sub.1 gradients) or B.sub.0 field gradients. The coherence transfer pathways can be sequentially selected in an arbitrary order.

Multidimensional NMR spectroscopy using switched acquisition time

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Boban K John