Fonar Corporation

Hugh Wahl

Raymond V Damadian

Cristian Balica

Gordon T Danby

Hank T Hsieh

John W Jackson

James Kelly

Rein Aspelund

William H Wahl

Arto Cinoglu

Fixtures for immobilizing a patient during magnetic resonance imaging.

Anatomical fixture for magnetic resonance position imaging

A magnetic resonance imaging magnet includes a ferromagnetic frame. A pair of generally toroidal superconducting coil units overlie interfaces of side walls incorporated in the frame. Each coil unit may include a vessel having hollow support extensions extending into recesses in the side walls. The coil units may further include elongated, low-thermal conductance supports disposed within the support extensions. The frame may include pole stems projecting inwardly from the side walls, and the coils may be disposed in close proximity to the pole stems. Cryocoolers may be mounted to the frame so that the cryocoolers are substantially mechanically isolated from the coils of the coil units, but are in thermal communication therewith. The cryocooler mountings may be arranged for convenient servicing and installation of the cryocoolers.

Ferromagnetic frame magnet with superconducting coils

In one example, a magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') system comprises a magnetic resonance imaging assembly defining a gap region, a transmitting coil proximate the gap region, and at least one test coil separate from the transmitting coil. The at least one coil is mechanically coupled to the assembly during imaging and the at least one test coil is selectively electrically coupled to the assembly to collect test data. The at least one coil may be coupled to a test fixture coupled to the assembly. The test fixture may be deployable from a first position to a second position for collection of test data. The at least one coil may comprise a first test coil and a second test coil. Methods are also disclosed.

MRI test fixture

A test fixture for testing and monitoring electromagnetic characteristics of a magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') system preferably comprises a body portion having a first longitudinal axis and a first coil supported by the body portion. A longitudinal member is preferably connected to the body portion. A second coil is supported by the longitudinal member. The longitudinal member has a second longitudinal axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis. A container for containing a test substance is supported by the longitudinal member within the second coil. The second coil is preferably a transceiver and the test substance is a material capable of emitting a magnetic resonance signal. The longitudinal member is preferably pivotally connected to the body portion and the body portion is preferably telescoping so that the test fixture may be stored in a compact position. Preferably, the test fixture is stored in the gap region in an MRI system. For example, the fixture may be stored in a chamber in a transmitting coil plate attached to a pole of an open MRI system.

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Stony Brook, NY, United States of America

Hugh Wahl