Instrumentarium Corporation

Instrumentarium Oy

Nokia Mobile Phones Limited

Other

Picker Nordstar Corporation

Elsi Technologies Oy

Increa Oy

Raimo E Sepponen

Gosta J Ehnholm

Ilmari V Kinanen

A method and an arrangement to monitor localization, movement, and properties of an object, such as human body. An excitation signal is connected to a first division of selected conductors of a transducer which includes a distribution of conductors such as a matrix. A first signal including information about coupling impedance between a first and a second selected division of conductors is derived from a coupling of the excitation signal between the first and the second selected divisions of conductors of said transducer. The object is monitored by studying changes of the coupling impedance caused by the object to be monitored during subsequent repeated cycles of the above mentioned steps.

Method and arrangement for monitoring an object via changes in coupling impedance within a transducer

A device for radio communication (PH), such as for example radiophone, includes a shielding layer (RFS) which under operating conditions is between the antenna and the user. The shielding layer (RFS) reduces electromagnetic irradiation of the user. The shielding layer (RFS) may be movable in such a manner that it serves as a cover of some operational devices such as for example, the headphone, display and keyboard of the apparatus when it is not used.

Device for radio communication

A device for radio communication (PH), such as for example radiophone, a shielding layer (RFS) which under operating conditions is between the antenna means and the user. The shielding layer (RFS) reduces electromagnetic irradiation of the user. The shielding layer (RFS) may be movable in such a manner that it serves as a cover of some operational device such as for example headphone, display and keyboard of apparatus when it is not in use.

Device for cleaning

Radiation shielding apparatus for communication device

The invention relates to a method for examination of motion of material employing magnetic resonance imaging methods. A magnetic field, which is referred as an auxiliary field is applied over the first area of the object, this auxiliary field is arranged to get smaller as one moves from the first area to the second area, referred as the area to be examined. Partially simultaneously with the auxiliary field a radio frequency pulse, AHP-pulse, is applied on the object, the frequency of the AHP-pulse is the Larmor-frequency corresponding to the strength of the magnetic field in the area to be examined. The length of the AHP-pulse corresponds to the time, which is required for the material to move from the first area to the area to be examined.

Method for imaging of movement of material

An SLP pulse is applied to an object to be imaged preceding one or more excitation pulses (a.sup.o or a) of a known magnetic resonance imaging technique. The SLP pulse tilts the nuclear magnetization away from the direction of B.sub.o, locks the magnetization with the rotating magnetic component and returns the magnetization back to the direction of B.sub.o. The known magnetic resonance imaging technique used with the SLP pulse includes applying at least one excitation pulse to generate transverse magnetization in the object. The excitation pulse causes the angle between the nuclear magnetization and B.sub.o to be less than 90.degree..

Imaging method

The invention relates to a novel magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The nuclei, protons or the paramagnetic electrons of an imaged object are cyclically polarized during a period of about one second with a permanent magnet which is then quickly shifted away from the imaged object in a permanent magnet carrier tube, so that the field of the permanent magnet would not have an interfering effect on the immediately following signal-collection for MRI-imaging. The permanent magnet can be manipulated or shifted back and forth in the tube either magnetically, pneumatically, hydraulically or mechanically. The apparatus also includes another permanent magnet or a resistive magnet coil couple, which is located in the tube near the opposite end of the tube, and which generates a homogeneous magnetic field within the imaged area. The apparatus includes a gradient coil system for generating a time-dependent magnetic field gradient necessary for imaging, as well as a coil system for producing an electromagnetic radio-frequency excitation signal to be linked with the nuclei or paramagnetic electrons of an imaged object as well as for registering the response of the nuclei or electrons to said signal. A control unit is used to control the above coils and to receive the information therefrom for producing an image or some other representation thereof.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method

The invention relates to a method based on the NMR phenomenon and magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the examination of an object, such as a human body, an animal or a tree trunk, wherein the image-related information is collected by effecting several times the operations required by a so-called imaging sequence, wherein the excitation procedure is followed by coupling across the object a magnetic field gradient, a so-called phase-encoding gradient, produced as a resultant of one or more divergent gradient fields, and thereafter a so-called read-out gradient during which a nuclear magnetic resonance signal is collected. One or more component gradient fields of said phase-encoding gradient produce a read-out gradient in some of the sequence repetition times.

A method for providing reference markers in magnetic resonance (MR) images which are highly discernible and accurately defined in the MR image. The method may be carried out with short imaging times. The reference markers have a volume containing NMR active nuclei and an electron spin resonance relaxant During the MRI examination procedure of an object, electron spin resonance energy is supplied to the reference markers to amplify the NMR signal from the markers by dynamic nuclear polarization. The amplification improves the visibility of the reference marker in the MR image of the object while permitting the size of the marker to be reduced to improve the accuracy by which other features appearing in the image may be located by reference to the markers. The reference markers may be used to locate anatomical features in a portion of a human body undergoing MRI examination.

Method for providing accurate reference markers in magnetic resonance

An operative instrument for the examination of an object, for example a biopsy tube or a capsule of a radioactive substance intended for radiation therapy. A part of the operative instrument, the active part, is adapted to be detected by NMR methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging, either in a manner that the active part contains a substance having NMR active nuclei or in a manner that the NMR active nuclei in proximity of the active part of the object can emit NMR signals in connection with an NMR or magnetic resonance imaging examination arrangement. A substance, a relaxant, is arranged in interaction with said NMR active nuclei, said relaxant causing activation of the NMR signal by means of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) when the electron spin system of said substances is saturated with external energy, i.e. saturation energy.

Operative instrument providing enhanced visibility area in MR image

The invention relates to a coil and coupling arrangement for use in equipment based on magnetic resonance, which arrangement can be applied e.g. to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The apparatus is adapted to operate on more than one polarizing magnetic field strength and the apparatus includes a coil arrangement for producing and detecting a resonance signal as well as for changing the energy states of spin systems. The operating states and physical properties, such as e.g. the resonance frequency, of the coil arrangement are changed by using switches or couplings whose state is controlled by the polarizing magnetic field.

Coil and coupling arrangement

The invention relates to an imaging method for the examination of an object such as a human body, an animal or a tree trunk, based on the NMR phenomenon and magnetic resonance imaging techniques. The amplitude of excitation pulses used for producing an NMR signal is selected in a manner that a so-called excitation angle is smaller than 90.degree. and the object of these excitation pulses is subjected to electromagnetic irradiation at a frequency which is different from the resonance frequency of an NMR signal recording on the magnetic image of said object.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the examination of a moving component by the application of NMR methods and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The saturation of electron spins required by DNP is adapted to occur within such area of an object in which the polarizing magnetic field has a different strength from the area of object which is subjected to NMR operations.

Examination method and apparatus

An apparatus for the examination of an object, such as a human body, by means of ultrasound and NMR methods in such a manner that both examination methods are adapted to be effected substantially simultaneously and on the same target area. The apparatus is provided with a device for radiating the magnetization of an electron spin system in the said target area in order to achieve a dynamic nuclear polarization and to amplify an NMR signal through a so-called Overhauser-phenomenon.

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Helsinki, Finland

Raimo E Sepponen