The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 09, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 06, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:
Peter Gatehouse, London, GB;
Assignee:
Royal Brompton Hospital, London, GB;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01V / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
324322 ; 324318 ;
Abstract
In Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus, it is necessary to switch the radio frequency electric coils which are positioned around the patient in the imaging volume very rapidly. The present invention achieves such switching using switching devices which are sensitive to control signals other than electrical signals. This removes the need to pass additional electrical conductors, which could carry interfering signals, into the imaging volume and this reduces image degradation. In particular the switching devices may be photodiodes which function in response to optical signals carried by optical fibres.