Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation

Satoshi Imai

Sadanori Tomiha

Miyuki Ota

Manabu Ishii

Mitsuo Takagi

Masahiro Fukushima

Shinji Mitsui

Kazuya Okamoto

Takafumi Ohishi

Sho Kawajiri

Keiichiro Ishi

Takaya Mori

Keiji Tahira

Misaki Kobayashi

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of an embodiment includes an RF coil including a plurality of coil elements, a plurality of preamplifiers, a combiner, and a transmission line. The coil elements transmit an RF pulse to a subject placed in an imaging space, and receive a signal generated from the subject by the RF pulse. The preamplifiers are each connected to each of the coil elements via an input channel with the number of channels corresponding to the coil element, and amplify the signal received by the coil element. The combiner is connected to each pair of preamplifiers that are paired among the preamplifiers, and generates a combined signal obtained by combining the signals amplified by the preamplifiers. The transmission line transmits the combined signal combined by the combiner.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and RF coil

In one embodiment, an MRI apparatus includes: a transmission circuit configured to apply a transmission pulse to an object; at least one radio frequency (RF) coil configured to include an active trap circuit provided with a PIN diode, and to receive a magnetic resonance signal from the object; a power supply circuit configured to apply a reverse bias voltage and a forward bias voltage to the PIN diode, and to apply multiple values of a forward current when the forward bias voltage is applied to the PIN diode; and a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit in such a manner that the power supply circuit sets the forward current to the multiple values, depending on imaging conditions.

MRI apparatus

A radio frequency coil according to an embodiment is configured to receive a magnetic resonance signal from an examined subject. The radio frequency coil includes an expandable and contractible first element and an expandable and contractible second element. The radio frequency coil has an overlap region where a first loop formed by the first element overlaps with a second loop formed by the second element. The ratio of the area of the overlap region to the area of the region enclosed by the first loop changes in accordance with expansion/contraction of the first element forming the first loop. The first element and the second element include liquid metal in at least a part thereof.

Radio frequency coil

According to one embodiment, a coil element includes an extendable and contractible coil and a capacitor. The capacitor is connected to the coil and has an electrostatic capacity which changes due to a physical change in response to extension or contraction of the coil.

Coil element, local coil apparatus, and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

An MRI apparatus according to an embodiment includes a whole body RF coil accommodated in a gantry. The whole body RF coil includes a first element unit used for transmission of a radio frequency magnetic field; and a second element unit used for reception of a magnetic resonance signal produced from a subject having been applied with the radio frequency magnetic field. The first element unit is a birdcage-type RF coil having two end rings and a plurality of rungs spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the end rings. The second element unit is a microstrip antenna.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, RF coil, and magnetic resonance imaging method

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a Radio Frequency (RF) coil configured to apply an RF magnetic field to a subject. The RF coil includes: a supporting member formed to have a circular cylindrical shape; and an electrically-conductive member which is arranged to extend along an axial direction of the supporting member and through which a radio frequency current flows when the RF magnetic field is generated. The electrically-conductive member includes: a first part provided on an outer circumferential surface of the supporting member; and a second part positioned farther away from an RF shield provided on an outer circumferential side of the RF coil than the first part is, in terms of a radial direction of the supporting member.

A medical image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes a storage circuitry and processing circuitry. The storage circuitry is configured to store therein workflow information indicating a plurality of procedures related to a preparation for an imaging process. The processing circuitry is configured to analyze an image obtained by a camera. The processing circuitry is configured to identify which of the plurality of procedures has been performed on the basis of the workflow information and a result of the analysis performed on the image and to cause an informing device to provide information about one or more of the procedures corresponding to a result of the identifying.

Medical image diagnosis apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a transmission coil and processing circuitry. The transmission coil is configured to apply a high frequency magnetic field to an object. The processing circuitry is configured to: derive, based on at least one of an imaging region and the body shape data of the object, a specific area in a field of view (FOV); and determine, based on a signal within the specific area, an output power level of a high frequency pulse signal supplied to the transmission coil.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry generates positional information related to a positional relationship between a transmitter coil and a receiver coil based on a magnetic resonance signal received from a subject. The processing circuitry adjusts an irradiation intensity of an RF pulse to be irradiated on the subject in accordance with the positional information.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus using positional information based on an image obtained by reconstructing a magnetic resonance signal

A couchtop attachment-detachment type RF coil according to an embodiment is attachable to and detachable from connector embedded in a couchtop of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, and forms a cable-free RF coil by being fitted with the connector and thereby joined with a coil element embedded in the couchtop, the cable-free RF coil corresponding to one area to be imaged of a subject.

Couchtop attachment-detachment type RF coil and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry and a display. The processing circuitry acquires information of an RF (radio frequency) coil. The processing circuitry sets a protocol to be applied to imaging using the RF coil before execution of the imaging. When there are a plurality of protocols that can be selected as the protocol applied to the imaging, the display displays at least one protocol narrowed down from the protocols as the protocol that can be applied to the imaging, based on information of the RF coil.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a first transmit coil transmitting a first RF pulse corresponding to a resonance frequency of a first nuclide species in an object placed in an imaging space, a first receive coil receiving a first NMR signal of the first nuclide species, a cable connected to the first receive coil, a balun attached to the cable and/or the first receive coil, a substance attached to the balun and/or a vicinity of the balun, the substance including a second nuclide species having a resonance frequency different from the resonance frequency of the first nuclide species, a second transmit coil transmitting a second RF pulse corresponding to a resonance frequency of the second nuclide species, and a second receive coil receiving a second NMR signal of the second nuclide species in the substance.

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a plurality of first coil elements and a connector. The first coil elements are embedded in a couchtop on which a subject is placed. The connector is provided in such a region of the couchtop that is positioned on the inside of the loop of at least one of the first coil elements. It is possible to attach and detach a second coil element different from the first coil elements to and from the connector.

Growing community of inventors

Nasushiobara, Japan

Satoshi Imai