Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Johns Hopkins University

Eva Rothgang

Arne Hengerer

Lars Lauer

Wesley David Gilson

Paul Arthur Bottomley

Jan Fritz

Jonathan S Lewin

Clifford R Weiss

Katarzyna J Macura

Rainer Schneider

Joerg Roland

Martin Ringholz

Michael Suehling

Patrick Gross

Bjoern Heismann

Volker Matschl

Robert Grimm

Martin Requardt

Peter Gall

Markus Petsch

Antje Kickhefel

Hanns Eder

Annemarie Hausotte

Dirk Franger

Christine Faigle

Silke Quick

Wilhelm Strehl

In a method and apparatus for supporting a user when positioning an accessory for a magnetic resonance examination on an examination object, the actual position of the accessory is acquired by an acquisition unit, and a target position of the accessory is determined by a determination unit. The actual position and the target position of the accessory are compared with regard to deviation of the actual position from the target position of the accessory. Output information representing any deviation that is found to exist is provided to a user via an output unit.

Method for supporting a user when positioning an accessory for a magnetic resonance examination

A magnetic resonance system that is designed to carry out an examination of an examination object, and has an RF controller, a gradient controller and an image sequence controller, which are designed to acquire MR data of a volume portion of the examination object. An arithmetic unit of the magnetic resonance system is designed to reconstruct MR images from the acquired MR data. A standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface of the magnetic resonance system is designed to establish a standardized wireless connection to at least one external device.

Magnetic resonance apparatus with standardized radio coupling with an external device

In a method for providing a selection of at least one protocol parameter from a plurality of protocol parameters for a user-defined protocol parameter setting of at least one magnetic resonance protocol for a magnetic resonance examination on a patient using a magnetic resonance device, a selection mode and a setting mode can be performed. In the selection mode, stored user-dependent parameter information can be provided and a selection of the at least one protocol parameter for a protocol parameter setting can be determined based on the stored user-dependent parameter information. In the setting mode, the determined selection of the at least one protocol parameter can be provided to the user via a user interface.

Method for providing a selection of at least one protocol parameter from a plurality of protocol parameters and a magnetic resonance device therefor

A magnetic resonance tomograph and a method for tracking a marker in an examination subject by a magnetic resonance tomograph are disclosed. The magnetic resonance tomograph includes a first image recording mode for acquiring the position of the marker. In one act of the method, data for acquiring the position of the marker is recorded with the first image recording mode. In a further act, a position of the marker is determined from the data and a first image with a location-accurate reproduction of the marker is prepared. The recording of the data for acquiring the position of the marker takes place depending on an event.

Tracking a marker in an examination subject by a magnetic resonance tomograph

A medical imaging apparatus is designed to acquire medical imaging data of a patient during a medical imaging examination and has a medical data acquisition scanner, which has a patient reception area at least partially enclosed by the scanner, inside of which a body area of a patient for examination is situated during the medical imaging examination. A positioning unit has a projector and at least one positioning surface situated inside the patient reception area. The projector is designed to project at least one item of anatomical information onto the at least one positioning surface inside the patient reception area.

Medical imaging apparatus with a positioning unit, and a method for determining a position on a positioning surface thereof

In a method, apparatus and medical imaging system to generate image data based on magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry data, planning data of a region of an examination subject that is to be depicted thermometrically are provided to a processor. Through the processor, segmentation data based on the planning data are generated MR thermometry data are provided to the processor, which generates image data on the basis of the MR thermometry data, using the segmentation data.

Method and apparatus for generation of image data based on MR thermometry data

A magnetic resonance method and system are provided for magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided insertion of an object into a biological tissue along a predetermined trajectory. The trajectory provides a path between a starting point and a target site within the tissue. Sufficiently high resolution images can be generated in real time to precisely guide the needle placement. A compressed sensing approach is used to generate the images based on minimization of a cost function, where the cost function is based on the predetermined needle path, artifact effects associated with the needle, the negligible changes in the images away from the trajectory, and the limited differences between successive images. The improved combination of spatial and temporal resolution facilitates an insertion procedure that can be continuously adjusted to accurately follow a predetermined trajectory in the tissue, without interruptions to obtain verification images.

System and method for real-time MRI-guided object navigation

Sterile RF coil arrangements for use in magnetic resonance imaging are provided. The sterile coil arrangements can be formed by spraying or coating a curable liquid onto an RF coil housing and allowing the liquid to cure or dry to form a continuous sterile layer on the coil housing. The thickness of the sterile layer can be between 100 and 1000 micrometers. The curable liquid can include an antimicrobial or antibacterial agent, such as silver ions or triclosan, to better maintain sterility of the coil arrangement. The curable liquid can be selected such that it adheres to the housing when cured and is also removable without leaving residue behind.

Sterile RF coils for MR imaging systems

A configurable coil arrangement for use with MRI-guided procedures is provided that facilitates optimal imaging for both pre-procedure planning and imaging of the target sites during the procedure. The coil arrangement includes a plurality of connected coil elements. Spacers connecting the coil elements can be adjustable and/or deformable to provide one or more openings in the coil arrangement of optimal size for accessing the subject within the imaged region. Individual coil elements can also be removed to provide access openings during such procedures, or left in the array for improved pre- and post-procedure image quality. The MRI system can be configured to detect configurations of the coil arrangement and modify imaging parameters to optimize image quality.

Magnetic resonance imaging coil with adjustable opening

A magnetic resonance imaging system and method are provided that include user control of certain functions using physical gestures, such as hand motions or the like. The gesture control aspects can include one or more cameras, and a processor configured to detect and recognize gestures corresponding to predetermined commands and to provide signals to execute the commands. A verification switch, such as a foot switch, can be included to improve safety and reliability of the gesture control aspects. This switch can be used to activate the gesture detection aspects and/or to confirm a recognized gesture command prior to its execution.

Gesture-controlled MR imaging system and method

A patient positioning table has a transfer plate that is reversibly transferable from the patient positioning table to a table associated with an imaging modality, and a headrest-forming extension component having a fastening section and a supporting section is provided, which can be detachably fastened to fastening devices provided on the transfer plate in exchange for a framework-like head immobilizing fixture, which can be detachably fastened to the same fastening devices.

Patient positioning table having a transfer plate

In a method and imaging apparatus to automatically determine imaging planes for an imaging procedure to visualize a percutaneous intervention of a patient along a trajectory to a target point, data are obtained that represent a reference coordinate system with three orthogonal reference planes, and data also are acquired that represent the trajectory. One of the reference planes is determined as a selected reference plane based on the arrangement thereof relative to the trajectory. A first imaging plane is defined such that the trajectory lies therein, and such that it has a defined arrangement in relation to the selected reference plane. A second imaging plane is defined such that the trajectory lies therein, and such that it is orthogonal to the first imaging plane. A third imaging plane is defined such that it is orthogonal to the first imaging plane and second imaging plane, and includes the target point.

Method and magnetic resonance system to automatically determine imaging planes

In a method and medical imaging system to prepare an interventional and/or diagnostic imaging procedure to be conducted with at least two different medical imaging modalities of the system, a patient is positioned on a patient support device and the patient support device, together with the patient, are moved into a patient acquisition region of a first medical imaging modality of the system. A first image data set of the patient to be examined is acquired with the first medical imaging modality. The first image data set is automatically evaluated in a data evaluation unit. At least patient parameter is automatically calculated from the evaluated first image data set. At least one compatibility value is automatically calculated depending on the at least one patient parameter and depending on at least one apparatus parameter of at least one additional medical imaging modality in the system. The compatibility value indicates whether the additional modality is compatible with the patient in order to conduct another of the procedures using that additional modality.

Method to prepare an interventional and/or diagnostic imaging procedure with at least two different medical imaging modalitites

In a magnetic resonance method and system to determine a position of a slice relative to a region moving relative to the slice within a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject located in the magnetic resonance system, a physical property within the slice is detected with spatial resolution at multiple points in time, such that a time curve of the physical property is detected for at least one voxel of the slice. The position of the slice relative to the region is determined with respect to defined points in time, depending on the time curve.

Magnetic resonance method and system to determine the position of a slice relative to a region moving relative to the slice

A method for tracking a needle along a path under real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance includes extracting a candidate needle artifact region from a plurality of incoming MR images of a needle inside biological tissue, determining an initial needle direction vector from the candidate needle artifact region in each of the plurality of incoming needle images, determining an initial needle base point from an intersection of the needle direction vector with a first incoming needle image, and an initial needle tip point from an intersection of the needle direction vector with a last incoming needle image, and tracking said needle by minimizing a cost function of the initial base point and initial direction vector to calculate an updated base point and updated direction vector. The updated base point and direction vector are used to visualize the advance of the needle along the path through the biological tissue.

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Nürnberg, Germany

Eva Rothgang