JP2003000565A - Head fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a head fixture which enables an operator to smoothly shift from surgery to imaging and from the imaging to the surgery by easily mounting a signal reception coil. SOLUTION: A base section 16 of a brain stereotaxis apparatus 8 is composed of aluminum and the end of the base section 16 is connected to the upper signal reception coil 15 by means of a junction connector 14, by which the looped signal reception coil is formed. As a result, the signal reception coil can be constituted simply by mounting the upper signal reception coil 15 and therefore the operator is able to carry out the imaging from the surgery without moving a subject.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a head fixing device for fixing a head of a subject, and more particularly to imaging by a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as an MRI apparatus). The present invention relates to a technique suitable for Interventional MR (hereinafter, referred to as I-MR) for performing surgery and treatment while performing surgery. 2. Description of the Related Art In an MRI apparatus, a subject placed in a static magnetic field is irradiated with a high-frequency pulse to excite nuclear spins of nuclei in the subject and generate a nuclear magnetic resonance signal.
At this time, positional information is given to the nuclear magnetic resonance signal by applying a gradient magnetic field in a predetermined sequence, and a tomographic image in the subject can be obtained by reconstructing the nuclear magnetic resonance signal. . MRI systems are free from exposure to X-rays, etc., can obtain arbitrary cross-sectional images by applying a gradient magnetic field, and have excellent resolution of soft tissues such as internal organs and brain. Used for applications. Recently, an open type MRI apparatus in which magnets (superconducting magnets, permanent magnets, etc.) for generating a static magnetic field are vertically arranged in an operating room from the side of a space in which a subject is arranged in an operating room. And I-MR procedures for treatment and the like are performed. [0004] For example, when performing surgery on the head, the head (brain) is fixed by a stereotaxic tool, and a tumor is removed using an endoscope or a microscope. In the middle, the operation was temporarily suspended to check the tumor removal status, the head was removed from the stereotaxic fixture, a receiving coil covered with vinyl etc. for holding a clean part was wound, and moved to the MRI apparatus. Take a picture. [0005] In the above-mentioned prior art, when moving from surgery to imaging on an MRI apparatus, the stereotaxic fixture must be removed once, and care must be taken so as not to affect the subject. It took time to move from surgery to photography and from photography to surgery. In contrast, JP 2000
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 300580/1995 discloses a stereotaxic apparatus in which a receiving coil is attached to a stereotaxic apparatus. According to this, the receiving coil can be attached without removing from the stereotaxic apparatus. [0006] However, the work of covering the portion that comes into contact with the stereotaxic fixture with vinyl or the like occurs every time a radiograph is taken, and the receiving coil surrounds the outside of the stereotaxic fixture and has higher sensitivity than when it is directly wound around the head. It was low. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a head fixing device for easily mounting a receiving coil with the head fixed, and performing a smooth transition from operation to imaging and from imaging to operation. [0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a head fixing device for fixing a head of a subject lying on a couch, wherein the subject is attached to the couch. And a part thereof is made of a non-magnetic and conductive material. An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of an MRI apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. An MRI apparatus 1 is arranged in the operating room and the imaging room, and a bed 2 on which a subject 3 is placed is arranged near the MRI apparatus 1. The couch 2 serves as both a couch for imaging and a couch for surgery, and is made of a non-magnetic material (a nickel chromium alloy, a titanium alloy, or the like) so as not to be affected even when transported into the MRI apparatus 1. ing. At the end of the bed 2, a stereotaxic fixture 8 for fixing the head of the subject 3 is attached. At the time of the operation, the operation is performed using an endoscope (not shown), the microscope 4 or the like, withdrawing to a place where there is no influence of the magnetic field of the MRI apparatus 1. When the endoscope or the microscope 4 is used, the operation is performed in a place where there is no influence of the magnetic field of the MRI apparatus 1. ing. An operation or the like is performed with the subject 3 placed on the bed 2 and the bed 2 is checked to confirm the situation.
Is transported into the MRI apparatus 2. At this time, an upper receiving coil, which will be described later, is attached to the stereotaxic fixture 8, and the whole including the stereotaxic fixture 8 is used as a receiving coil. The stereotaxic device 8 does not disturb the magnetic field and needs to have good conductivity in order to be used as a receiving coil. In the present embodiment, aluminum is used for a portion where the receiving coil is formed. Then, the situation such as surgical removal is confirmed by the in-room monitor 6 attached from the MRI apparatus 1 via the arm 7. Next, details of the stereotaxic apparatus and the receiving coil of the present invention will be described. First, a description will be given of the stereotaxic apparatus during operation with reference to FIG. The subject's head 9 is fixed to the stereotaxic apparatus 8 with the subject lying on a bed (not shown). The stereotaxic apparatus 8 includes a semicircular base 16 that follows the shape of the subject's head 9, a holder 17 that holds the base 16 at an arbitrary angle in the circumferential direction, and a holder 17. The fixing unit 18 is configured to hold the object so that it can be moved in parallel in the axial direction of the subject and to fix the object to the bed. The base portion 16 is provided with a plurality of screw holes at predetermined intervals, and the screw holes are provided with bolts 10 which are in contact with and fixed to the subject head 9. The base 16 is made of non-magnetic and conductive aluminum to form a receiving coil, as will be described later.
6 to be insulated from non-magnetic and non-conductive carbon fiber or glass fiber. Further, the bolt 10 also needs to be non-magnetic, but a certain strength is required, so a titanium alloy or the like is used. At that time, bolt 1
Since it is necessary to keep the 0 and the base 16 electrically non-conductive, the bolt 10 or the screw hole of the base 16 may be covered with an insulator by plating, coating, or the like. The positions of the holding part 17 and the base part 16 are adjusted according to the contents of the operation and the position and orientation of the head, and the positions and the number of the parts fixed with the bolts 10 are appropriately adjusted. With the head of the subject 9 fixed with bolts, the subject's head 9 and the stereotaxic device 8 are covered with a sterilized cloth 12, and a clean portion is kept from being infected by unnecessary contact. The connector 1 is provided at the end of the base 16.
1 and the cloth 12 is provided with a hole through which the connector 11 passes. And a head frame 13 having a through hole at an end.
Is inserted into the connector 11 and fixed to the stereotaxic apparatus 8.
The head frame 13 fixes the skin at the time of craniotomy of the subject's head 9 or is used as an operator's arm support.
When the head frame 13 is fixed, the cloth 12 is sandwiched between the head frame 13 and the stereotaxic fixture 8, so that it does not come off accidentally. In this state, an operation such as removal of a tumor is performed. Next, a description will be given of the stereotaxic apparatus during photographing with reference to FIG. The subject 9 is fixed to the stereotaxic fixture 8 as described above, and in this state, the semicircular upper receiving coil 15 is attached to the connector 11 via the sterilized relay connector 14. Connector 11 and relay connector 1
Numeral 4 indicates that both are electrically connected. As described above, since the base 16 of the stereotaxic device 8 made of non-magnetic and highly conductive aluminum forms the lower receiving coil, the upper receiving coil 15 and the base 16 are connected to the connector 11.
In addition, by connecting with the relay connector 14, a loop-shaped receiving coil surrounding the entire subject head 9 is formed. In this state, imaging is performed, and the removal state of the tumor and the like are confirmed.
Then, when the operation is performed again after the imaging is completed, the upper receiving coil 15 and the relay connector 14 are removed, and the operation proceeds to the operation. When the photographing is performed again, the relay connector 14 is changed to another sterilized relay connector 14 and the upper receiving coil 15 is mounted. As described above, in the present embodiment, the base portion 16 of the stereotaxic device 8 is made of aluminum,
By connecting to the upper receiving coil 15 via the relay connector 14, a loop-shaped receiving coil can be formed, so that the coil can be mounted without moving the subject and the diameter of the receiving coil can be further increased. Can be placed closer to Although the entire base 16 of the stereotaxic apparatus 8 is made of non-magnetic and highly conductive aluminum, the base 16 is made of a non-magnetic material and the inside of the base 16 is made of a non-magnetic material. A good conductive material may be used. According to the present invention, a part of the head fixing member is made of a non-magnetic and highly conductive material. The whole including the fixture can be configured as a receiving coil. This makes it possible to attach the receiving coil without moving the subject.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view showing an MRI apparatus using the present invention and a state of use. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a stereotaxic apparatus in the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a receiving coil in the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 MRI apparatus 2 Bed 3 Subject 4 Microscope 6 In-room monitor 8 Brain stereotaxic fixture 9 Subject head 10 Bolt 11 Connector 12 Cloth 13 Head frame 14 Relay connector 15 Upper receiving coil 16 Base part 17 Holding Part 18 Fixed part

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Hideaki Iwano             3-30-13 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Mizuho I             Within Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 4C096 AA20 AB39 AB47 AC01 AD10                       AD18 CC12 CC40 EB07

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A head fixing device for fixing a head of a subject placed on a bed, wherein the subject is fixed to the bed and a part of the subject is made non-magnetic and conductive. A head fixing device comprising a material having the same.