Esaote S.p.a.

Luigi Satragno

Eugenio Biglieri

Fabio Rezzonico

Osvaldo Pugliese

Orfeo Contrada

Alessandro Trequattrini

Stefano Pittaluga

Lorenzo Bessi

Trequattrini Alessandro

Luciano Schiavini

Alessandro Carrozzi

Alessandro Quattrini

Marino Palazzolo

Pierluigi Giusto

Eugenio Bilgieri

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus including a magnetic structure having two opposite and spaced apart poles and a column or wall transverse to the poles and connecting the poles; the poles defining two opposite walls delimiting a patient-imaging space, the two opposite walls extending along substantially parallel planes which are substantially parallel to a vertical plane; and a patient positioning table which is slidably connected to a supporting frame between the two poles; the table being positioned with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the two opposite parallel walls of the poles and the table being oriented with its transverse axis perpendicular to at least one of the two opposite walls.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnet having a two poles and a wall connecting the poles; the poles delimiting a patient-imaging space; and a table which is slidably connected to one of the two poles between the two poles and which table extends substantially parallel to the two poles; a drive for displacing the table relative to the magnet; a lock for locking the table in a selected position relative to the magnet; a drive for rotating the magnet about the axis; the table connected to the magnet such that the table rotates with the magnet when the magnet rotates about the axis; the magnet and the table being rotatable from a position in which the poles and the table are horizontal to a position in which the table and the poles are vertical.

Magnetic resonance imaging method including coordinated rotation of patient table and magnetic structure

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnet having two poles and a wall connecting the poles; the poles delimiting a patient-imaging space; and a table which is slidably connected to one of the two poles between the two poles and which table extends substantially parallel to the two poles; a drive for displacing the table relative to the magnet; a lock for locking the table in a selected position relative to the magnet; a drive for rotating the magnet about the axis; the table connected to the magnet such that the table rotates with the magnet when the magnet rotates about the axis; the magnet and the table being rotatable from a position in which the poles and the table are horizontal to a position in which the table and the poles are vertical.

A method for determining information for a diagnosis of pathologic conditions of the anatomical region of the pelvic floor by MRI imaging includes acquiring a sequence of MRI images along one or more predetermined section planes or inside a predetermined three-dimensional area, which planes intersect or which three-dimensional area contains at least a part of the pelvic floor. The image sequence is acquired for a time interval coinciding with or including at least a part of the length of the physiological process evacuating natural solids or liquids carried out on the basis both of a natural stimulation and an induced stimulation or during a simulation of physiological processes evacuating solids or liquids by introducing foreign bodies or substances simulating natural products. The method further includes generating a film of the cinematographic type by using as individual frames one or more images of the sequence and displaying the film for visually verifying the dynamic-morphologic behavior of organs of the pelvic floor.

Diagnostic imaging method and apparatus for the anatomical region of the pelvic floor

An apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress, which apparatus includes a magnet structure having an open or closed annular shape, and a predetermined axial extension, which structure delimits a cavity for receiving at least a part of the patient body, with at least two or three open sides, the open sides providing access to the cavity. The open or closed annular magnet structure being disposed with the axis of the open or closed annular shape oriented with at least one vertical directional component and devices being provided for vertical translation of the magnet structure or the patient relative to the magnet structure.

Apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging apparatus having an open U- or C-shaped magnet structure, wherein the magnet structure has at least one vertical connection member for joining two horizontal wall members which lie one above the other and are supported in a cantilever fashion and in a predetermined spaced relationship by the vertical member, the vertical member being eccentrically connected to the two wall members at a side edge thereof. The horizontal wall members and the vertical member delimit the upper and lower sides and at least a vertical lateral band of a space for receiving at least one part of a patient body. The horizontal wall members also support means for generating a static magnetic field that permeates the patient receiving space. The apparatus further includes a patient table, supported in an intermediate position between the two horizontal wall members, and lies slightly above the lower horizontal wall part, the table being displaceable in at least one displacement direction, having at least one component of motion towards and/or away from the vertical connection member, and the table being rotatable about a vertical axis outside the magnet structure, i.e. outside the horizontal wall members.

A combination Magnetic Resonance imaging apparatus and patient table, which apparatus has a magnet structure, defining a cavity for accommodating a part of the body under examination, which is supported by a base block, the patient table and the apparatus having a base block and a supporting structure respectively, that are slidable in at least one, or more directions. The patient table and the Magnetic Resonance imaging apparatus have a mechanism for removable connection therebetween and guide thereof along predetermined relative displacement paths.

Combination magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and patient table

A magnet structure for an MRI apparatus utilizing a permanent magnet, which apparatus has an inverted U shape with two essentially parallel opposed pole pieces, which are supported at a predetermined distance from each other by an inverted U-shaped magnetic yoke, which pole pieces and/or at least a portion of which yoke delimit a cavity for receiving at least a part of the patient's body, whereas a partial volume is generated in the volume of said cavity, which has such magnetic field values as to provide MRI images of a sufficient quality to enable the use thereof as diagnostic images, i.e. a so-called imaging volume. According to the invention, the distance (D) between the pole pieces () of the magnet structure is of 36 to 42 cm, and the pole pieces () have a surface area of 4500 to 5500 cm. The invention also relates to an MRI imaging apparatus, particularly designed for the spine region, or a part thereof, and which has a magnet structure as described above.

Magnet structure for MRI apparatus and MRI apparatus

A combined apparatus for diagnostic imaging an inner part of a body, the apparatus including at least a device for imaging and displaying images according to at least two types of beams, waves or signals transmitted toward a body or a part of the body to be examined, the device including a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging and displaying device and an ultrasound imaging and displaying device in an integrated configuration within the same apparatus.

Combined apparatus for imaging the inner part of a body, and method thereof

A combined imaging apparatus having a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with at least one transmitting coil for exciting the matter of a body under examination or of a part thereof and at least one coil for receiving the signals transmitted by the body under examination or a part thereof, as well as an electronic unit for processing the received signals to create a diagnostic image and including a device for supporting and/or guiding at least one diagnostic and/or therapeutic tool. The combined apparatus further including an echographic imaging apparatus.

Imaging apparatus

A method for determining the condition of an animate or inanimate object by magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, particularly for determining the pathologic condition of rheumatoid arthritis ('arthritis rheumatoides') and carrying out a patient follow-up.

Method for determining the condition of an object by magnetic resonance imaging

A magnet for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging apparatus, said magnet having at last two, preferably three open sides, and delimiting the patient receiving area, said magnet being composed of three yoke elements, i.e. two parallel magnetically permeable elements and one transverse yoke element for connection of said two parallel elements, whereby said magnet has a C shape and wherein, for both of said parallel elements, the terminal portion associated to said transverse connecting element has a transverse wall for connection of said two parallel elements with the transverse element, which has an end step for engagement of a corresponding end of said transverse element.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance apparatus

A method for image acquisition and display by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging, allowing display of images of an anatomical region along section planes or slices having different positions with respect to another, which method includes carrying out at least one three dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging for acquiring three dimensional anatomical data in the form of a three dimensional voxel array of unitary volumetric image elements in a user defined image volume containing at least part of the anatomical region to be studied and having a predetermined orientation reference; selecting relative to the user defined image volume one or more section planes along which an image of the anatomical region or part thereof in the defined volume is to be displayed; reconstructing from the three dimensional voxel array the image along each of the one or more section planes; displaying the image or images as a two dimensional image.

Growing community of inventors

Genoa, Italy

Luigi Satragno