JPH0630910A - Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a feeling of uneasiness that a person to be examined has, by informing the person of a remaining time for photography. CONSTITUTION:An operation-controlling means 6 begins to operate a remaining time for photography simultaniously with the start of the photography, on the basis of photographic conditions preset by the operation of an input means 5. The operation-controlling means 6 controls the colors of the light cast by an irradiating means 4, corresponding to the remaining time for the photography, which time is operated thereby. It is made possible for a person P to be examined to intuitively recognize the remaining time for the photography, by the change of the colors of the light cast by the irradiating means 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "MRI apparatus") for photographing a subject such as a subject.
Say. ) Concerning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an image is taken by an MRI apparatus, a subject is placed in an image taking hole, but it usually takes about 30 minutes for the image taking, and the subject stays still for as long as possible. Need to be Therefore, in the conventional MRI apparatus, in order to remove the anxiety of the subject as much as possible, light is drawn into the imaging hole by the optical fiber to illuminate the inside of the imaging hole brightly.

[0003]

However, even if the inside of the photographing hole in which the subject is arranged is illuminated brightly, it has been a pain for the subject to stay in the photographing hole for a long time. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an MRI apparatus that reduces anxiety of a subject.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an MRI apparatus for arranging an object in an imaging hole to take an image of the object. Irradiation means for irradiating the subject arranged in the imaging hole, and calculation of the remaining imaging time starts at the same time as the start of imaging based on the set imaging conditions, and the light emitted by the irradiation means according to the remaining time. And a calculation control means for controlling the color of the.

[0005]

According to the apparatus having the above structure, the arithmetic control means starts the calculation of the remaining photographing time at the same time as the start of photographing based on the set photographing condition, and the color of the light emitted by the irradiating means is calculated according to the remaining time. Control. The subject is irradiated with light that changes with the elapse of the imaging time, and the subject can recognize the remaining imaging time by the color of the light.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main part of an MRI apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This apparatus 1 includes an imaging hole 3 having a size that allows a subject P to be placed as a subject, for example, and an imaging stand 3 for performing magnetic resonance imaging (MR imaging) of the subject P, and the colors of the imaging frame 3 being controlled. Irradiation means 4 for irradiating the subject P arranged in the imaging hole 2 with changing light, input means 5 provided with buttons for setting imaging conditions, imaging start, and the remaining imaging time, and Arithmetic control means 6 for controlling the color of the light emitted by the irradiation means 4, and the device 1 such as the imaging stand 3
It is roughly configured by a control system (not shown) that controls each part.

Under the control of a control system (not shown) for the subject P arranged in the photographing hole 2, the photographing mount 3 has a button for starting photographing under the photographing condition set by operating the button of the input means 5. The shooting is performed based on the operation.

The irradiating means 4 comprises a light source 7 which emits light whose color is controlled to change, and an optical fiber 8 which guides the light from the light source 7 to a light emitting end 8a arranged in each part of the photographing hole 2. ing. The light source 7 is provided with filters for green, yellow, red, etc. and a power source for light emission and filter color selection, and the color of the filter can be selected under the control of the arithmetic control means 6. Further, the light source 7 is arranged at a position apart from the photographing mount 3 which is not affected by the photographing of the photographing mount 3 and is not affected by the light emission, by a predetermined distance.

The arithmetic and control means 6 operates the button for starting the shooting of the input means 5 on the basis of the shooting condition set by the operation of the button for setting the shooting condition of the input means 5.
The calculation of the remaining shooting time is started at the same time as the start of shooting, and the color of the light emitted by the irradiation means 4 is controlled according to the remaining time. Next, the operation of the device 1 having the above configuration will be described.

The operator places the subject P on the top plate T and arranges it in the photographing hole 2, operates the button of the input means 5 to input the photographing condition, and gives a command to start photographing. The imaging stand 3 captures an image of the subject P under the control of the control system. On the other hand, the calculation control means 6 calculates the remaining shooting time simultaneously with the start of shooting based on the shooting conditions set by the button operation of the input means 5.
The light source 7 has, for example, a green filter set at the beginning of shooting, and emits green light. The green light is guided by the optical fiber 8 and emitted toward the subject P from the light emitting end 8a. When the photographing progresses and a predetermined time elapses, the arithmetic control unit 6 controls the filter of the light source 7 based on the calculated remaining photographing time, and causes the light source 7 to select, for example, a yellow filter. The subject P is similarly irradiated with yellow light, and the subject P roughly recognizes the remaining imaging time by the yellow light. When the image capturing further progresses and the image capturing end is approached, the arithmetic and control unit 6 similarly selects, for example, a red filter. The subject P is irradiated with red light, and the subject P knows that the remaining imaging time has decreased due to this. The photographing stand 3 finishes photographing.

According to the apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the subject P can intuitively recognize the remaining photographing time by the color of the light emitted from the light emitting end 8a, and the light from the light emitting end 8a allows the photographing hole 2 to be photographed. Since the inside is illuminated brightly, it is possible to reduce the anxiety of the subject P. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the essential part of an embodiment apparatus 10 which is another example of the embodiment apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The present apparatus 10 is mainly obtained by changing the arrangement relationship of the irradiation means 4 of the apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

The irradiation means 14 of this apparatus 10 has a power source 17 similar to the power source of the light source 7 shown in FIG. 1 arranged at a position away from the photographing base 3 so as not to affect each other, and in the vicinity of the photographing hole 2. The light emitting end 18a provided with a filter similar to the filter of the light source 7 shown in FIG. As in the device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the irradiation unit 14 also irradiates the subject P with light that changes with the remaining imaging time, for example, green, yellow, and red, under the control of the arithmetic control unit 6. ing. The apparatus 1 of another example shown in FIG. 2 configured as described above.
According to 0, the same action and effect as the device 1 shown in FIG. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0014]

According to the present invention described in detail above, since the subject is irradiated with light of a color that changes according to the remaining time for image capturing, the subject intuitively recognizes the remaining time for image capturing. Therefore, it is possible to provide an MRI apparatus that reduces anxiety of the subject.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of an MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of an MRI apparatus which is another example of the apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,10 MRI apparatus 2 Imaging hole 4,14 Irradiation means 5 Input means 6 Arithmetic control means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An MRI apparatus for arranging an object in an imaging hole for imaging the object, and irradiating means for irradiating the object arranged in the imaging hole with light whose color changes under control. And a calculation control means for starting the calculation of the remaining shooting time at the same time as the start of shooting based on the set shooting conditions, and controlling the color of the light emitted by the irradiation means according to the remaining time. MRI device.