General Electric Company

Phillip Edward Steen

Piero Patrone Bonissone

Yu-To Chen

Rasiklal Punjalal Shah

Vipin Kewal Ramani

John Andrew Johnson

Ramesh Ramachandran

Ceylan Celil Guclu

Tsinghua Zheng

Dashen Chu

Robert Michael Vavrek

Kenneth W Belt

Fraser J L Robb

Howard R Wagner

Travis Roy Monke

John Edward Ferut

Johnny E Parham, Iii

John A Wolak

Recardo Matias

Ramesh Ramchandran

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems including a coil system and methods for controlling the coil system are described. A described system includes a coil system for MRI. The coil system includes a local volume coil configured to transmit and receive MRI signals and an array of surface coils configured to receive MRI signals.

Method and system to dynamically configure transmit receive coils to calibrate a magnetic resonance imaging system

The present invention provides a system and method of improved homogeneity whereby at least a portion of an RF coil is filled with homogeneity enhancing material. Disposing the homogeneity enhancing material, such as perfluorocarbon, within the RF coil, implementation of thick saturation pads may be avoided altogether or thinner pads may be used to fill any voids between the patient and the coil. The present invention is particularly useful in a CTL coil assembly for acquiring diagnostic data of the neck region of a patient. However, the advantages achieved by the present invention may be incorporated into other surface coils for other anatomical regions where control of the susceptibility is desired. Additionally, the homogeneity enhancing material also acts as a heat sink for any hot spots on the coil.

RF coil embedded with homogeneity enhancing material

A method and apparatus is disclosed to analogically combine MR signals from RF coils to form multiple sets of analogically combined MR signals, and then digitally combine the analogically combined sets of MR signals to provide a digitized signal set for image reconstruction. The analogical combining followed by the digital combining of acquired MR signals improves intrinsic SNR of the RF coils used for data acquisition from a field-of-view (FOV) without compromising FOV for simultaneous MR data acquisition.

Method and apparatus to improve signal-to-noise ratio without compromising field-of-view for simultaneous MR data acquisition by an array of RF coils of an MR scanner

A system and method for diagnosing and validating a machine with waveform data generated therefrom. Historical waveform data are obtained from machines having known faults along with corresponding actions for repairing the machines and are used to develop fault classification rules. The fault classification rules are stored in a diagnostic knowledge database. The database of classification rules are used to diagnose new waveform data from a machine having an unknown fault.

System and method for diagnosing and validating a machine using waveform data

A system and method for diagnosing and validating a machine over a network using waveform data. Historical waveform data are obtained via the network from machines having known faults along with corresponding actions for repairing the machines and are used to develop fault classification rules. The fault classification rules are stored in a diagnostic knowledge database. The database of classification rules are used to diagnose new waveform data from a machine having an unknown fault, via the network.

System and method for diagnosing and validating a machine over a network using waveform data

A diagnostic system is provided for identifying faults in a machine (e.g., CT scanner, MRI system, x-ray apparatus) by analyzing a data file generated thereby. The diagnostic system includes a trained database containing a plurality of trained data, each trained data associated with one of plurality of known fault types. Each trained data is represented by a trained set of feature values and corresponding weight values. Once a data file is generated by the machine, a current set of feature values are extracted from the data file by performing various analyses (e.g., time domain analysis, frequency domain analysis, wavelet analysis). The current set of feature values extracted is analyzed by a fault detector which produces a candidate set of faults based on the trained set of feature values and corresponding weight values for each of the fault types. The candidate set of faults produced by the fault detector is presented to a user along with a recommend repair procedure. In cases where no fault is identified or in response to a misdiagnosis produced by the diagnostic system, the user may interactively input a faulty condition associated with the machine being diagnosed (e.g., based on his/her experience). The diagnostic system further includes a learning subsystem which automatically updates the plurality of trained data based on the faulty condition input by the user.

Diagnostic system with learning capabilities

The present invention discloses a system and method for diagnosing and validating a machine with waveform data generated therefrom. In this invention, historical waveform data are obtained from machines having known faults along with corresponding actions for repairing the machines and are used to develop fault classification rules. The fault classification rules are stored in a diagnostic knowledge database. The database of classification rules are used to diagnose new waveform data from a machine having an unknown fault.

System and method for diagnosing and validating a machine using waveform

A fixture for testing a magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a mounting plate for positioning the fixture within the system. The mounting plate has a plurality of apertures each of which being adapted to receive a test coil. The test coil includes a housing having a section that can fit within each mounting plate aperture and a receptor for holding a test substance. A coil with a plurality of turns of a conductor is located with the housing and an electrically conductive shield extends around the coil. One or more nestable spacer modules are provided to fit with a mounting plate aperture and receive the test coil to maintain the test coil a defined distance from the mounting plate.

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Delafield, WI, United States of America

Phillip Edward Steen