JP6771993B2 - Head support device, head coil device and magnetic resonance imaging device - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a head support device, a head coil device, and a magnetic resonance imaging device.

There is a technique for predicting the body movement of a subject based on an MR image collected by magnetic resonance imaging (MR imaging). However, since additional imaging (data collection) for body movement prediction is required, the imaging time becomes long and the burden on the patient increases.

Special Table 2012-516183 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-73294 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-260543 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-509144 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-36607

An object of the embodiment is to provide a head support device, a head coil device, and a magnetic resonance imaging device that can easily and easily measure the body movement of a subject.

The head support device according to the present embodiment changes the form of the support at each of a plurality of locations of the support in order to measure the movement of the head and the support that supports the head of the subject. It is provided with a detection unit that detects a physical quantity that changes accordingly.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the head support device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the head support device of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the head support device of FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the head support device of FIG. 2 as viewed from the back side. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the head support device provided with the body motion detector for measuring the body motion in the rotation direction according to the first embodiment as viewed from the back side. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. FIG. 9 is a view showing a vertical cross section of a head support device including a support having a two-layer structure according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the support pad and the auxiliary pad of FIG. 9 as viewed from the back surface, and is a diagram showing the first type of arrangement of the air bag and the body motion detector connected to the support pad and the auxiliary pad. .. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the support pad and the auxiliary pad of FIG. 9 as viewed from the back surface, and is a diagram showing a second type of arrangement of the air bag and the body motion detector connected to the support pad and the auxiliary pad. .. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the head coil device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the head coil device from which the detachable frame has been removed according to the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the head coil device in which the detachable frame and the head support device are removed according to the second embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an outline of the head support device according to the first modification. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an outline of the head support device according to the second modification.

Hereinafter, the head support device, the head coil device, and the magnetic resonance imaging device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a gantry 1, a sleeper 3, a mechanical controller 5, a host PC 7, and a head support device 9. For example, the gantry 1 and the sleeper 3 are installed in the inspection room, the machine controller 5 is installed in the machine room adjacent to the inspection room, and the host PC 7 is installed in the control room adjacent to the inspection room and the machine room. The gantry 1 is a device having an MR imaging mechanism in which a bore into which the subject O is inserted is formed. The sleeper 3 is a device that movably supports the top plate on which the subject O is placed. The mechanical controller 5 is various mechanical devices that operate the gantry 1 to perform MR imaging. The machine controller 5 has a gradient magnetic field power supply 21, a transmission circuit 23, and a reception circuit 25. The host PC 7 is a computer device that functions as the center of the magnetic resonance imaging device. The host PC 7 is communicably connected to the machine controller 5. The host PC 7 includes an image pickup control circuit 31, a reconstruction circuit 33, an image processing circuit 37, an arithmetic circuit 39, a display circuit 41, a communication circuit 43, an input circuit 45, and a main memory circuit 47. The head support device 9 is a device installed on the sleeper 3 that supports the head of the subject O.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gantry 1 has a static magnetic field magnet 11 and a gradient magnetic field coil 13. The static magnetic field magnet 11 and the gradient magnetic field coil 13 are housed in the housing 1a of the gantry 1. A hollow bore 1b is formed in the housing 1a of the gantry 1. The RF coil 15 is arranged in the bore 1b of the gantry 1.

The static magnetic field magnet 11 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape, and generates a static magnetic field inside the substantially cylindrical shape. As the static magnetic field magnet 11, for example, a permanent magnet, a superconducting magnet, a normal conducting magnet, or the like is used. Here, the central axis of the static magnetic field magnet 11 is defined as the Z axis, the axis perpendicular to the Z axis is referred to as the Y axis, and the axis horizontally orthogonal to the Z axis is referred to as the X axis. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis form a Cartesian three-dimensional coordinate system.

The gradient magnetic field coil 13 is a coil unit attached to the inside of the static magnetic field magnet 11 and formed in a hollow substantially cylindrical shape. The gradient magnetic field coil 13 generates a gradient magnetic field by receiving a current supply from the gradient magnetic field power supply 21. More specifically, the gradient magnetic field coil 13 has three coils corresponding to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other. The three coils form a gradient magnetic field in which the magnetic field strength changes along each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The gradient magnetic fields along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are combined to form slice-selective gradient magnetic fields Gs, phase-encoded gradient magnetic fields Ge, and lead-out gradient magnetic fields Gr that are orthogonal to each other in desired directions. These gradient magnetic fields are superimposed on the static magnetic field and applied to the subject O. The slice selection gradient magnetic field Gs is arbitrarily used to determine the imaging cross section. The phase-encoded gradient magnetic field Ge is used to change the phase of the MR signal depending on the spatial position. The lead-out gradient magnetic field Gr is used to change the frequency of the MR signal depending on the spatial position. In the following description, it is assumed that the inclination direction of the slice selection gradient magnetic field Gs is the Z axis, the inclination direction of the phase encode gradient magnetic field Ge is the Y axis, and the inclination direction of the lead-out gradient magnetic field Gr is the X axis.

The gradient magnetic field power supply 21 supplies a current to the gradient magnetic field coil 13 according to a sequence control signal from the imaging control circuit 31. The gradient magnetic field power supply 21 supplies a current to the gradient magnetic field coil 13 to generate a gradient magnetic field in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction by the gradient magnetic field coil 13. The gradient magnetic field is superimposed on the static magnetic field formed by the static magnetic field magnet 11 and applied to the subject O.

The RF coil 15 is arranged inside the gradient magnetic field coil 13 in the housing 1a, and receives the supply of RF pulses from the transmission circuit 23 to generate a high frequency magnetic field. Further, the RF coil 15 receives a magnetic resonance signal (hereinafter referred to as an MR signal) emitted from a target atomic nucleus existing in the subject O under the action of a high frequency magnetic field. The RF coil 15 has a plurality of receiving coil elements capable of receiving MR signals. The received MR signal is supplied to the receiving circuit 25 via wired or wireless.

The RF coil 15 is said to be a type for both transmission and reception. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. An RF coil dedicated to transmission and an RF coil dedicated to reception may be provided. Further, the RF coil 15 may be used exclusively for transmission, and a reception-dedicated RF coil specialized for the imaging site may be attached to the subject.

The transmission circuit 23 transmits a high-frequency magnetic field for exciting the target atomic nucleus existing in the subject O to the subject O via the RF coil 15. Protons are typically used as the target nucleus. Specifically, the transmission circuit 23 supplies the RF coil 15 with a high-frequency signal (RF signal) for exciting the target atomic nucleus under the control of the imaging control circuit 31. The high-frequency magnetic field generated from the RF coil 15 vibrates at a resonance frequency peculiar to the target nucleus and excites the target nucleus. An MR signal is generated from the excited target nucleus and detected by the RF coil 15. The detected MR signal is supplied to the receiving circuit 25.

The receiving circuit 25 receives the MR signal generated from the excited target nucleus via the RF coil 15. The receiving circuit 25 processes the received analog MR signal to generate a digital MR signal. The digital MR signal is supplied to the reconstruction circuit 33 via wired or wireless.

A sleeper 3 is installed adjacent to the gantry 1. The sleeper 3 movably supports the top plate along each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. A sleeper drive device (not shown) is housed in the sleeper 3. The sleeper drive device moves the top plate under the control of the image pickup control circuit 31. As the sleeper drive device, for example, any motor such as a servo motor or a stepping motor may be used.

The head support device 9 is installed on the top plate of the sleeper 3. The head of the subject O placed on the top plate is supported by the head support device 9. Specifically, the head support device 9 detects a support that supports the head of the subject O and a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of locations of the support. It has a motion detection unit. The detection unit generates information corresponding to the detected physical quantity. The detected physical quantity has a value that depends on the change in the morphology of the support with the body movement of the head of the subject O. Hereinafter, the output from the body movement detection unit will be referred to as head movement detection information. The movement detection information of the head is supplied to the arithmetic circuit 39 via the communication circuit 43.

As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging control circuit 31 is housed in the machine controller 5. The image pickup control circuit 31 has a processor of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory) as hardware resources. The imaging control circuit 31 supplies a sequence control signal corresponding to a predetermined imaging condition to the gradient magnetic field power supply 21, the transmitting circuit 23, the receiving circuit 25, and the sleeper 3, and the subject is subjected to a pulse sequence corresponding to the sequence control signal. Image O.

The reconstruction circuit 33 has a processor such as a CPU, GPU (Graphical processing unit), or MPU, and a memory such as a ROM or RAM as hardware resources. The reconstruction circuit 33 reconstructs the MR image in which the imaging region is drawn based on the digital MR signal from the reception circuit 25. For example, the reconstruction circuit 33 reconstructs an MR image of a digital MR signal by performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) on the phase-encoded axis and the frequency-encoded axis. The reconstruction circuit 33 includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable logic device (FPGA), and other composite programmable logic devices (FPGA) that realize the reconstruction function. It may be realized by a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD) or a simple programmable logic device (SPLD).

The image processing circuit 37 has a processor such as a CPU, GPU, and MPU, and a memory such as a ROM and RAM as hardware resources. The image processing circuit 37 performs various image processing on the MR image reconstructed by the reconstructing circuit 33. For example, the image processing circuit 37 performs three-dimensional image processing such as volume rendering, surface volume rendering, image value projection processing, MPR (Multi-Planer Reconstruction) processing, and CPR (Curved MPR) processing on the MR image to display an image. To generate. The image processing circuit 37 may be realized by an ASIC, FPGA, CPLD, or SPLD that can realize the above image processing.

The arithmetic circuit 39 has a processor such as a CPU, GPU, and MPU and a memory such as a ROM and RAM as hardware resources. The arithmetic circuit 39 measures the movement of the head of the subject O based on the movement detection information of the head supplied from the head support device 9.

The display circuit 41 displays various information. For example, the display circuit 41 displays the MR image reconstructed by the reconstruction circuit 33 and the display image generated by the image processing circuit 37. Specifically, the display circuit 41 includes a display interface circuit and a display device. The display interface circuit converts data representing a display target into a video signal. The display signal is supplied to the display device. The display device displays a video signal representing a display target. As the display device, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, an LED display, a plasma display, or any other display known in the art can be appropriately used.

The communication circuit 43 performs data communication with the head support device 9 via a wired or wireless device (not shown). Further, the communication circuit 43 may perform data communication with an external device such as a PACS server connected via a network or the like (not shown).

Specifically, the input circuit 45 has an input device and an input interface circuit. The input device receives various commands from the user. As an input device, a keyboard, a mouse, various switches and the like can be used. The input interface circuit supplies output signals from the input device to various circuits of the host PC 7 via a bus.

The main storage circuit 47 is a storage device such as an HDD (hard disk drive), an SSD (solid state drive), or an integrated circuit storage device that stores various information. Further, the main storage circuit 47 may be a drive device or the like that reads and writes various information to and from a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, and a flash memory.

Hereinafter, the head support device 9 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the head support device 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the head support device 9 has a support (headrest) 50 and a base 51. The base 51 is installed on a top plate (not shown). The base 51 is made of a non-magnetic material such as polyurethane. A support 50 for supporting the head of the subject O is provided on the surface of the base 51. The support tool 50 is a cushioning member having flexibility for supporting the head of the subject O. A body movement detection unit (not shown in FIG. 2) is provided between the support 50 and the base 51.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the head support device 9. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the head support device 9. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the head support device 9 as viewed from the back side. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and 5, the support 50 has a support pad 52 and a plurality of air bags 53. The support pad 52 is a cushioning member that comes into direct contact with the head of the subject. Specifically, the support pad 52 is realized by a pad, a cushion, or the like. The support pad 52 is made of any material such as polyvinyl chloride. The support pad 52 has a shape that follows the shape of a general head (more specifically, a skull) of a subject O in order to improve the fit of the subject to the head. A plurality of airbags 53 are provided at a plurality of locations on the back surface of the support pad 52. The air bag 53 is a bag formed of any non-magnetic material containing any medium such as air. The medium contained in the air bag 53 may be any non-magnetic liquid or gas. The air bag 53 and the support pad 52 may be formed separately, or may be integrally formed by die-cut molding or the like using a flexible material.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and 5, the body motion detecting unit P is connected to the plurality of air bags 53 via the plurality of tubes 54. The tube 54 is, for example, a hollow tube. The tube 54 allows the medium to freely flow between the air bag 53 and the detector Pn. The tube 54 is preferably having an appropriate rigidity in order to transmit the flow of the medium due to the change in the form of the air bag 53 to the body motion detector Pn without loss.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, a pivot (fulcrum) 55 projecting from the back surface of the support pad 52 is provided at substantially the center of the back surface. The pivot 55 comes into contact with the surface of the base 51. The support pad 52 is provided on the base 51 so as to be tiltable around the pivot 55. The plurality of air bags 53 are arranged between the base 51 and the support pad 52 and around the pivot 55. Since the support pad 52 is provided with the pivot 55, the subject can freely and easily change the orientation of the head. As long as the support pad 52 can be tilted around the pivot 55, the position of the pivot 55 on the back surface of the support pad 52 is not limited to substantially the center, and may be provided at any position.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the body motion detection unit P changes the form of the support tool 50 at each of the plurality of locations of the support pad 52 in order to measure the movement of the head of the subject O. Detect physical quantities that change accordingly. In other words, the body movement detection unit P detects the pressure distribution of the support 50 due to the movement of the head.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the body motion detection unit P indicates a plurality of body motion detectors Pn (n indicates the number of the body motion detector) provided at a plurality of locations on the back surface of the support tool 50. Integer). The plurality of body motion detectors Pn are provided so as to come into contact with each of the plurality of air bags 53. Each body motion detector Pn detects a physical quantity that depends on a change in the shape of the air bag 53 accompanying the movement of the head of the subject via a medium that flows between the air bag 53 and the tube 54. Examples of physical quantities include pressure from a medium. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the body motion detector Pn is a pressure detector and the medium is air. In this case, the body motion detector Pn detects the pressure of the air flowing from the air bag 53 through the tube 54 as the form of the air bag 53 changes. The pressure detection method by the body motion detector Pn may be any existing method such as a manometer, a Bourdon tube pressure gauge, or a method of measuring by deformation of a diaphragm.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base 51. As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of recesses 56 are provided on the surface of the base 51. The recess 56 is formed at a position in contact with the air bag 53, and accommodates the tube 54 connected to the air bag 53 and the body motion detector Pn. Specifically, a recess 561 is provided at a position corresponding to the air bag 53 arranged on the neck side, and a recess 562 is provided at a position corresponding to the air bag 53 arranged on the crown side, and the left head is provided. A recess 563 is provided at a position corresponding to the air bag 53 arranged on the side, and a recess 564 is provided at a position corresponding to the air bag 53 arranged on the right side of the head. By accommodating the tube 54 and the body motion detector Pn in the recess 56, the portability of the head support device 9 according to the present embodiment is improved.

The base 51 does not necessarily have to be provided with the recess 56, and the tube 54 and the body motion detector Pn can be installed at any place. For example, a through hole may be provided at a position corresponding to each air bag 53 of the base 51, and the tube 54 may be inserted through the through hole. In this case, the body motion detector Pn may be installed at an arbitrary location outside the base 51, for example. Further, when the base 51 is not provided with a recess 56 or a through hole, the tube 54 may be guided to the outside of the base 51 through a gap between the base 51 and the support pad 52. In this case as well, the body motion detector Pn may be installed at an arbitrary location outside the base 51, for example.

Here, the direction connecting the neck and the crown of the subject is referred to as the anteroposterior direction D12, and the direction connecting the left and right heads of the subject is referred to as the left-right direction D34. The body motion detector connected to the air bag 531 arranged on the neck side of the subject is P1, and the body motion detector connected to the air bag 532 arranged on the crown side is P2, on the left side of the head. The body motion detector connected to the arranged air bag 533 will be referred to as P3, and the body motion detector connected to the air bag 534 arranged on the right side of the head will be referred to as P4. The axis that passes through the pivot 55 and intersects the surface of the base 51 perpendicularly is referred to as the A1 axis. Further, the axis connecting the air bag 531 and the air bag 532 is referred to as an A2 axis, and the axis connecting the air bag 533 and the air bag 534 is referred to as an A3 axis.

Next, the detection of the air pressure by the body motion detector Pn and the body motion measurement by the calculation circuit 39 will be described in detail. The shape of the air bag 53 changes as the head of the subject moves. For example, when the head moves so as to raise the jaw, the air bag 53 on the crown side is crushed, and the air contained in the air bag 53 flows into the body motion detector P2 through the tube 54 and the body. The air pressure detected by the motion detector P2 rises. On the contrary, the air bag 53 on the neck side is released, and the air pressure detected by the body motion detector P1 drops. An electric signal (hereinafter, referred to as an air pressure signal) relating to the air pressure detected by each body motion detector Pn is supplied to the arithmetic circuit 39 via the communication circuit 43.

The arithmetic circuit 39 acquires an air pressure signal from each body motion detector Pn. The arithmetic circuit 39 measures the body movement of the subject O in real time based on the air pressure signals of the plurality of body movement detectors Pn. More specifically, the arithmetic circuit 39 calculates the amount of body movement and the direction of body movement.

The amount of body movement is calculated as follows, for example. First. The arithmetic circuit 39 sequentially selects an arbitrary pair of body motion detectors Pn from a plurality of body motion detectors Pn at regular time intervals, and an air pressure signal from each of the selected pair of body motion detectors Pn. The air pressure difference is calculated based on. The pair of body motion detectors Pn may be selected for all combinations of the plurality of body motion detectors Pn provided on the support pad 52, or may be selected only for a preset pair. Next, the arithmetic circuit 39 calculates the amount of change in the air pressure difference. The amount of change in the air pressure difference is calculated by the differential value of the air pressure difference, in other words, the difference in the air pressure difference per unit time. This amount of change in air pressure difference is used as an index showing the amount of body movement of the head of the subject.

An index other than the amount of change in air pressure difference may be used as an index indicating the amount of body movement. For example, the arithmetic circuit 39 may calculate the air pressure difference itself as an index showing the amount of body movement, or may calculate the difference between the air pressure difference and a preset predetermined value as an index showing the amount of body movement. good. The specified value may be set to the default air pressure difference when the head of the subject is placed on the head support device 9. The specified value may be set to an arbitrary value via the input circuit 45.

The amount of body movement is stored in the main memory circuit 47 or the like together with the measurement time. The amount of body movement is used, for example, in the reject process by the reconstruction circuit 33. Hereinafter, the rejection process by the reconstruction circuit 33 will be described. In the reject process, the reconstruction circuit 33 specifies a period in which the body movement amount is larger than the threshold value (hereinafter, referred to as an excessive body movement period) based on a comparison between the body movement amount and a preset threshold value. For example, the reconstruction circuit 33 compares the amount of body movement with a preset threshold value, and identifies the time when the amount of body movement exceeds the threshold value and the time when the amount of body movement falls below the threshold value. Then, the reconstruction circuit 33 sets the period from the time when the amount of body movement exceeds the threshold value to the time when the amount of body movement falls below the threshold value as the excessive body movement period. Then, the reconstruction circuit 33 excludes the MR signal collected during the hyperactivity period from the MR signals collected during the MR imaging, and is based on the remaining MR signal collected during the period other than the hyperactivity period. To reconstruct the MR image. This makes it possible to reconstruct an MR image in which artifacts derived from the movement of the head are reduced. Further, since the magnetic resonance imaging device according to the present embodiment can directly measure the movement of the head by using the head support device 9, the case of measuring the movement of the head based on the MR image. Compared with, the reject process can be performed more immediately.

Next, the calculation of the body movement direction will be described. When the calculation circuit 39 calculates a plurality of air pressure difference changes for a plurality of pairs of body motion detectors Pn, the calculation circuit 39 specifies the maximum air pressure difference change amount among the plurality of air pressure difference changes. Then, the arithmetic circuit 39 determines the direction in which the pair of body motion detectors Pn corresponding to the maximum amount of change in air pressure difference is connected to the body motion direction.

The method for measuring the body movement direction is not limited to the above method. For example, the arithmetic circuit 39 may determine the presence or absence of body movement only in the preset measurement target direction. The calculation circuit 39 calculates the air pressure difference based on the air pressure signals of the pair of body motion detectors Pn with respect to the measurement target direction, and compares the calculated air pressure difference with the preset threshold value. The measurement target direction is arbitrarily selected from, for example, the front-rear direction D12, the left-right direction D34, and the like. When the air pressure difference is smaller than the threshold value, the calculation circuit 39 determines that no body movement has occurred in the measurement target direction. When the air pressure difference is larger than the threshold value, the calculation circuit 39 determines that body movement is occurring in the measurement target direction. In this case, the measurement target direction is set to the body movement direction.

The body movement direction is not limited to the linear direction connecting the pair of body movement detectors Pn. The head support device 9 according to the present embodiment can also measure the body movement in the rotation direction around the A1 axis penetrating the pivot 55.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the head support device 9 provided with the body motion detector P5 and the body motion detector P6 for measuring the body motion in the rotation direction as viewed from the back side. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the support pad 52 is formed with a protruding portion 57 projecting to the back surface side. The protrusion 57 is sandwiched between a pair of air bags 535 and an air bag 536. The base 51 is provided with a protrusion 57, an air bag 535, and a recess 56 into which the air bag 536 is inserted. The air bag 535 and the air bag 536 are provided side by side with respect to the rotation direction DR around the A1 axis. The body motion detector P5 is connected to the air bag 535 via the tube 54, and the body motion detector P6 is connected to the air bag 536 via the tube 54.

For example, when the subject swings his / her head in the rotation direction DR with the occipital bone as a fulcrum, the support pad 52 rotates in the rotation direction DR along with the swinging motion. Due to the rotation of the support pad 52 with respect to the rotation direction DR, the air bag 535 or the air bag 536 is pushed by the protrusion 57 against the wall surface by the recess 56 of the base 51, and the air pressure difference between the air bag 535 and the air bag 536 increases. The arithmetic circuit 39 measures the body movement of the subject O in the rotational direction DR based on the air pressure signals from the body movement detector P5 and the body motion detector P6. More specifically, the arithmetic circuit 39 calculates the air pressure difference at regular time intervals based on the air pressure signals from the body motion detector P5 and the body motion detector P6. Then, when the calculated plurality of air pressure differences are smaller than the preset threshold values, the arithmetic circuit 39 determines that the movement of the head with respect to the rotation direction DR has not occurred. When the calculated plurality of air pressure differences are larger than the preset threshold values, the arithmetic circuit 39 determines that the movement of the head with respect to the rotation direction DR has occurred. In this case, the rotation direction DR is set to the body movement direction.

The body movement direction is stored in the main memory circuit 47 in association with the measurement time. The body movement direction and the body movement amount are used, for example, for body movement correction imaging by the image pickup control circuit 31. Hereinafter, body motion correction imaging by the imaging control circuit 31 will be described. In the body motion correction imaging, the imaging control circuit 31 controls MR imaging of the subject based on the body movement direction and the body movement amount measured in real time at the time of MR imaging. For example, the imaging control circuit 31 makes the imaging cross section follow the movement of the head based on the body movement direction and the body movement amount during MR imaging. For example, the imaging control circuit 31 calculates a cross-sectional position moved by a distance corresponding to the amount of body movement in the body movement direction from the cross-sectional position of the current imaging cross-section, and sets the imaging cross-section at the calculated cross-sectional position. Determine the pulse sequence. Then, the imaging control circuit 31 supplies the sequence control signal corresponding to the determined pulse sequence to the gradient magnetic field power supply 21, the transmission circuit 23, the reception circuit 25, and the sleeper 3, and the subject is subjected to the pulse sequence corresponding to the sequence control signal. Image O. This makes it possible to follow the imaging cross section in real time with the movement of the head. Further, since the magnetic resonance imaging device according to the present embodiment can directly measure the movement of the head by using the head support device 9, the case of measuring the movement of the head based on the MR image. Compared with the above, body motion correction imaging can be performed more immediately.

The support pad 52 may be composed of one pad or a plurality of pads. When the support pad 52 is composed of a plurality of pads, the plurality of pads are arranged so as to cover the plurality of air bags 53 arranged on the surface of the base 51. By configuring the support pad 52 with a plurality of pads in this way, it is possible to improve the fit of the support pad 52 to the subject head. Further, when the support pad 52 is divided into a plurality of pads, the pressure due to the movement of the head can be transmitted to each air bag 53 without dispersion as compared with the case where the support pad 52 is composed of one pad. Therefore, the accuracy of body motion detection by the body motion detection unit P and the accuracy of body motion measurement by the calculation circuit 39 can be improved.

In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the pivot 55 is provided on the back surface of the support pad 52. However, if the shape of the air bag 53 changes due to the movement of the head of the subject placed on the support pad 52, the pivot 55 may not be provided. As a result, the stability of the support pad 52 can be ensured.

In the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 39 is provided in the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the arithmetic circuit 39 may be provided in the head support device 9. Specifically, the arithmetic circuit 39 may be connected to a plurality of body motion detectors Pn via signal lines and housed in a base 51 or the like. In this case, the body movement information measured by the arithmetic circuit 39, that is, the data related to the body movement amount and the body movement direction may be supplied to the image pickup control circuit 31 and the reconstruction circuit 33 via wired or wireless. By providing the arithmetic circuit 39 in the head support device 9, it is possible to measure the body movement of the subject's head only by the head support device 9.

As described above, the head support device 9 according to the present embodiment has at least a support 50 and a body movement detection unit P. The support tool 50 supports the head of the subject. In order to measure the movement of the head of the subject, the body motion detection unit P detects a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support 50 at each of the plurality of positions of the support 50.

With the above configuration, the head support device 9 according to the present embodiment can detect a physical quantity for measuring the body movement of the head of the subject without performing additional MR imaging. Further, by using the pressure detector as the body movement detection unit P, it is not necessary to use an electronic device. Therefore, it can be used more easily and easily even in a magnetic field than when the body motion is measured by an optical camera or the like.

In the above embodiment, the number of the air bag 53 and the body motion detector Pn is 4 or 6, but the number may be any number. Therefore, in order to determine the body movement direction in more detail, six or more air bags 53 and the body movement detector Pn may be provided.

[Application example]
In the above embodiment, the support tool that supports the head has a single-layer structure of only the support pad 52. However, this embodiment is not limited to this.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a vertical cross section of a head support device including a support having a two-layer structure. As shown in FIG. 9, the support 50 has an auxiliary pad 58 in addition to the support pad 52 and the air bag 53. The auxiliary pad 58 is provided on the surface of the support pad 52. In this case, the auxiliary pad 58 comes into direct contact with the head of the subject. The auxiliary pad 58 may be composed of one sheet, or may be composed of a plurality of pads in order to improve the fit of the subject to the head. The auxiliary pad 58, like the support pad 52, may be formed of any material such as polyvinyl chloride.

By having the two-layer structure of the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58, the head support device 9 according to the present embodiment can be arranged with a large number of air bags 53 and body motion detector Pn. That is, the air bag 53 can be arranged not only on the back surface of the support pad 52 but also on the back surface of the auxiliary pad 58. At this time, it is preferable that a plurality of air bags 53 are arranged so that the air bag 53 attached to the support pad 52 and the air bag 53 attached to the auxiliary pad 58 do not overlap each other in the vertical direction. As a result, the pressure due to the movement of the subject's head can be accurately transmitted to each air bag 53. Therefore, the accuracy of body motion detection by the body motion detection unit P and the accuracy of body motion measurement by the calculation circuit 39 can be improved.

The types of arrangement of the air bag 53 and the body motion detector Pn connected to the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58 are as follows, for example.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58 as viewed from the back surface, and shows the first type of arrangement of the air bag 53 and the body motion detector Pn connected to the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58. It is a figure. As shown in FIG. 10A, the support pad 52 includes an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P1 for measuring the body motion in the front-rear direction D12, an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P2, and left and right. Air bag 53 for body motion detector P3 for body motion measurement in direction D34, air bag 53 for body motion detector P4, and air for body motion detector P5 for body motion measurement in rotation direction DR A bag 53 and an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P6 are provided. As shown in FIG. 10B, the auxiliary pad 58 includes an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P7 and an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P8 for measuring the body motion in the first oblique direction. And an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P9 and an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P10 for measuring the body motion in the second oblique direction are provided.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58 as viewed from the back surface, and shows a second type of arrangement of the air bag 53 and the body motion detector Pn connected to the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58. It is a figure. As shown in FIG. 11A, the support pad 52 is provided with an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P5 and an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P6 for measuring the body motion in the rotational direction DR. .. As shown in FIG. 11B, the auxiliary pad 58 includes an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P1 for measuring the body motion in the front-rear direction D12 and an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P2. An air bag 53 for the body motion detector P3 for measuring the body motion in the left-right direction D34, an air bag 53 for the body motion detector P4, and a body motion detector P7 for measuring the body motion in the first diagonal direction. Air bag 53 for body motion detector P8, air bag 53 for body motion detector P9 for second diagonal body motion measurement, and air bag for body motion detector P10. 53 and are provided.

As described above, the head support device 9 according to the application example has a two-layer structure of the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58, and is connected to the body motion detector Pn on the back surface of the support pad 52 and the auxiliary pad 58. An air bag 53 will be provided. As a result, the head support device 9 according to the application example can arrange more air bags 53 and thus the body motion detector Pn, so that the body motion measurement can be performed more accurately. Specifically, by arranging a large number of body motion detectors Pn, the body motion direction can be determined in more detail.

(Second Embodiment)
The following is a diagram showing the configuration of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the second embodiment. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will be described in duplicate only when necessary.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the magnetic resonance imaging device according to the second embodiment includes a head coil device 10 in addition to a gantry 1, a sleeper 3, a machine controller 5, a host PC 7, and a head support device 9. The head coil device 10 is installed on the top plate of the sleeper 3. The head coil device 10 incorporates a head coil and a head support device 9 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the head coil device 10 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13, the head coil device 10 has a frame body 61. The frame body 61 has a shape capable of surrounding the head of the subject. The frame body 61 has a base frame 62 and a detachable frame 63.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the head coil device 10 from which the detachable frame 63 has been removed. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the base frame 62 is attached to the sleeper 3. The base frame 62 has a semi-cylindrical shape capable of covering at least the back of the head of the subject. The base frame 62 and the detachable frame 63 are formed of, for example, a non-magnetic material such as polyurethane. The connecting surface 62C of the base frame 62 is provided with a plurality of convex portions 64 used for connection with the detachable frame 63. The detachable frame 63 is attached to the base frame 62 by fitting each convex portion 64 into a concave portion (not shown) provided at a corresponding position of the detachable frame 63.

A head coil (not shown), which is an RF coil for receiving an MR signal from the head, is housed in the base frame 62 and the detachable frame 63. The head coil is housed in the base frame 62 and the detachable frame 63 so as to surround the head of the subject. The head coil has a plurality of receive channels mounted in parallel. The receiving channel includes a receiving coil element that receives the MR signal, an amplifier that amplifies the MR signal, and the like. The MR signal is output for each reception channel. The MR signal received by the head coil is supplied to the receiving circuit 25. The receiving circuit 25 processes the MR signal from the head coil as well as the MR signal from the RF coil 15.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the base frame 62 is provided with an adapter 65 for supplying electric power. The adapter 65 is inserted into an insertion port provided in the sleeper 3. By inserting the adapter 65 into the insertion port, it becomes possible to supply electric power to a device such as a head coil housed in the head coil device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a head support device 9 is mounted on the base frame 62. The base frame 62 also serves as the base 51 of the head support device 9 according to the first embodiment. The support pad 52 according to the second embodiment is provided along the inner surface of the base frame 62 so as to cover from the occipital region to the temporal region of the subject. A plurality of air bags 53 (not shown in FIGS. 13 and 14) are provided between the support pad 52 and the base frame 62 over the entire back surface of the support pad 52. In this way, since the support tool 50 is provided so as to cover the subject from the back of the head to the temporal region, the subject's head can be supported from the side. Further, by adjusting the air pressure of the air bag, the subject can more comfortably attach the head coil device 10.

The air bag 53 is provided with a body motion detecting unit P as in the first embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the head coil device 10 from which the detachable frame 63 and the head support device 9 are removed. As shown in FIG. 15, a plurality of recesses 66 corresponding to the plurality of air bags are provided on the mounting surface of the head support device 9 in the base frame 62. A tube and a body motion detector are housed in each recess 66.

As described above, the head coil device 10 according to the second embodiment incorporates the head support device 9 according to the first embodiment. That is, the head coil device 10 according to the second embodiment has at least a frame body 61, a support 50, a head coil, and a body motion detection unit P. The frame body 61 surrounds the head of the subject. The support tool 50 supports the head of the subject. The head coil is an RF coil for MR imaging provided on the frame body 61. In order to measure the movement of the head of the subject, the body motion detection unit P detects a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support 50 at each of the plurality of positions of the support 50.

With the above configuration, the head coil device 10 according to the second embodiment can detect a physical quantity for measuring the body movement of the head of the subject without performing additional MR imaging. Further, by using the pressure detector as the body movement detection unit P, it is not necessary to use an electronic device. Therefore, it can be used more easily and easily even in a magnetic field than when the body motion is measured by an optical camera or the like. That is, according to the second embodiment, even in the MR imaging of the head of the subject using the head coil device 10, the movement of the head of the subject is easily and easily measured as in the first embodiment. be able to.

(Modification example 1)
The body movement detection unit P according to the first and second embodiments detects the pressure depending on the change in the shape of the air bag 53 as the physical quantity depending on the change in the shape of the support 50. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. The body motion detection unit P according to the first modification detects the amount of light that depends on the change in the shape of the air bag 53 as the physical quantity that depends on the change in the shape of the support 50. Hereinafter, the head support device 9 according to the first modification will be described. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions as those of the present embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will be described in duplicate only when necessary.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an outline of the head support device according to the first modification. As shown in FIG. 16, the head support device according to the first modification has a plurality of air bags 53 between the support pad 52 and the base 51, as in the above embodiment. A light reflecting film 53R is formed on the surface of each air bag 53. A light outlet 71 and a photodetector 73 are housed in each air bag 53 inside the base 51 according to the first modification. The light emission port 71 is arranged so that the reflective film 53R is irradiated with light. The light outlet 71 is connected to a light source installed outside the magnetic field by an optical fiber or the like (not shown). The photodetector 73 detects the light (reflected light) emitted from the light emitting port 71 and reflected by the reflecting film 53R. The photodetector 73 generates an electric signal having a peak value corresponding to the amount of detected light. The output signal of the photodetector 73 is supplied to the arithmetic circuit 39 via an optical fiber or the like (not shown). The base 51 according to the first modification is formed of a member having light transmittance. The entire base 51 does not have to be formed of a light-transmitting member, and at least the light transmission path between the light emitting port 71 and the photodetector 73 is formed of a light-transmitting member. Just do it.

As shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, when pressure is applied to the support pad 52 by the movement of the head of the subject, an air bag 53 installed on the back surface of the support pad 52 to which the pressure is applied. The form of is deformed. When the shape of the air bag 53 is deformed, the positional relationship between the light emitting port 71 and the reflective film 53R changes. Therefore, the amount of light detected by the photodetector 73 differs before and after the shape of the air bag 53 is deformed.

The arithmetic circuit 39 according to the first modification measures the body movement of the subject's head based on the output signals from the plurality of photodetectors 73. Specifically, the arithmetic circuit 39 stores a LUT (Look Up Table, hereinafter referred to as a light amount-pressure table) indicating the correspondence between the pressure and the light amount for each photodetector 73. The arithmetic circuit 39 can measure the pressure on each air bag 53 from the light amount detected by the photodetector 73 by using the light amount-pressure table. Therefore, the arithmetic circuit 39 calculates the pressure difference of any pair of air bags 53 among the plurality of air bags 53 as in the above embodiment, and based on the pressure difference, the subject head as in the above embodiment. The body movement of the part, more specifically, the body movement amount and the body movement direction can be measured.

As described above, according to the first modification, the pressure on the support 50 due to the movement of the head of the subject can be detected from the change in the amount of light accompanying the change in the form of the support 50. Therefore, the body movement of the subject's head can be measured without using various devices for pressure detection as in the first and second embodiments.

(Modification 2)
The body motion detection unit P according to the first and second embodiments detects the pressure of the medium (air) flowing in the tube 54 due to the change in the form of the air bag 53. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. The body motion detection unit P according to the second modification directly detects the pressure due to the change in the shape of the air bag 53 by the piezoelectric element. Hereinafter, the head support device 9 according to the second modification will be described. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions as those of the present embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will be described in duplicate only when necessary.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an outline of the head support device according to the second modification. As shown in FIG. 17, the head support device according to the second modification has a plurality of air bags 53 between the support pad 52 and the base 51, as in the above embodiment. A piezoelectric element 81 is arranged on the back surface of each air bag 53. The piezoelectric element 81 detects the pressure from the air bag 53 and generates an electric signal having a peak value corresponding to the detected pressure. The output signal of the piezoelectric element 81 is supplied to the arithmetic circuit 39 via an optical fiber or the like (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, when pressure is applied to the support pad 52 by the movement of the head of the subject, the air bag 53 installed on the back surface of the support pad 52 to which the pressure is applied. The form of is deformed. When the shape of the air bag 53 is deformed, the pressure of the air bag 53 on the piezoelectric element 81 fluctuates, so that the pressure detected by the piezoelectric element 81 differs before and after the deformation of the shape of the air bag 53.

The arithmetic circuit 39 according to the second modification measures the body movement of the head of the subject based on the output signals from the plurality of piezoelectric elements 81. Specifically, the arithmetic circuit 39 measures the pressure on each air bag 53 based on the output signal from each piezoelectric element 81. Therefore, the arithmetic circuit 39 calculates the pressure difference of any pair of air bags 53 among the plurality of air bags 53 as in the above embodiment, and based on the pressure difference, the subject head as in the above embodiment. The body movement of the part, more specifically, the body movement amount and the body movement direction can be measured. Further, according to the second modification, the pressure distribution to the plurality of air bags 53 can be measured based on the output signals from the plurality of piezoelectric elements 81, and the body movement amount and the body movement direction can be measured based on the pressure distribution. Can be measured.

The piezoelectric element 81 is provided on the back surface of the air bag 53, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. A plurality of piezoelectric elements 81 may be directly arranged on the back surface of a plurality of locations of the support pad 52. In this case, the head support device 9 does not need to have a plurality of air bags 53.

As described above, according to the second modification, the pressure on the support 50 due to the movement of the head of the subject can be detected by the piezoelectric element 81. Therefore, the body movement of the subject's head can be measured without using various devices for pressure detection as in the first and second embodiments.

As described above, according to the at least one embodiment, it is possible to provide a head support device, a head coil device, and a magnetic resonance imaging device that can easily and easily measure the body movement of a subject.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

1 ... gantry, 1a ... housing, 1b ... bore, 3 ... sleeper, 5 ... mechanical controller, 7 ... host PC, 9 ... head support device, 10 ... head coil device, 11 ... static magnetic field magnet, 13 ... Diagonal magnetic field coil, 15 ... RF coil, 21 ... Diagonal magnetic field power supply, 23 ... Transmission circuit, 25 ... Reception circuit, 31 ... Imaging control circuit, 33 ... Reconstruction circuit, 37 ... Image processing circuit, 39 ... Arithmetic circuit, 41 ... Display circuit, 43 ... Communication circuit, 45 ... Input circuit, 47 ... Main storage circuit, 50 ... Support, 51 ... Base, 52 ... Support pad, 53 ... Air bag, 53R ... Reflective film, 54 ... Tube, 55 ... Pivot, 56 ... dent, 57 ... protrusion, 58 ... auxiliary pad, 61 ... frame, 62 ... base frame, 62C ... connection surface, 63 ... detachable frame, 64 ... convex, 65 ... adapter, 66 ... dent, 71 ... light outlet, 73 ... light detector, 81 ... piezoelectric element, Pn ... body motion detector.

Claims (22)

A support for supporting the head of a subject, the first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and the first pad between the base and the first pad. A support having a plurality of air bags provided in the circumferential direction on the outer circumference of one pad, and
In order to measure the movement of the head, the plurality of detectors provided in the plurality of air bags are provided, and each of the plurality of detectors changes according to a change in the form of the plurality of air bags. detecting a physical quantity, a detection unit,
A head support device comprising. A support that supports the subject's head and
In order to measure the movement of the head, a detection unit for detecting a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of positions of the support is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a base, a first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and a plurality of air bags provided between the base and the first pad. And
The first pad has a pivot on a surface opposite to the contact surface of the head, and is provided on the base so as to be tiltable around the pivot.
Head support device. A support that supports the subject's head and
In order to measure the movement of the head, a detection unit for detecting a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of positions of the support is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a plurality of air bags that indirectly or directly support the head.
The plurality of detectors are provided in the plurality of air bags, and detect the physical quantity depending on the change in the morphology of the plurality of air bags.
The plurality of detectors include an irradiation unit that irradiates light and a photodetector that detects light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit and reflected by the air bag.
Head support device. The support has a plurality of air bags that indirectly or directly support the head.
The plurality of detectors are provided in the plurality of air bags and detect the physical quantity depending on the change in the morphology of the plurality of air bags.
The head support device according to claim 2. The head support device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 , further comprising a measuring unit that measures the movement of the head based on the physical quantities of the plurality of locations detected by the plurality of detectors. The measuring unit moves the head in a direction connecting the pair of detectors based on the difference in physical quantities detected by the pair of detectors provided on the support among the plurality of detectors. The head support device according to claim 5 , which measures the head support device. The support has a base, a first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and a plurality of air bags provided between the base and the first pad. The head support device according to claim 3 . The head according to claim 1, 2 or 7 , wherein the first pad has a pivot on a surface opposite to the contact surface of the head and is provided on the base so as to be tiltable around the pivot. Support device. The support has a second pad that supports the head.
A first air bag out of the plurality of air bags is provided on the first pad.
A second air bag out of the plurality of air bags is provided on the second pad.
The head support device according to claim 1, 2 or 7 . The first pad has a protruding portion that projects on a surface opposite to the contact surface of the head.
A pair of third air bags out of the plurality of air bags are provided so as to sandwich the protrusion.
A pair of third detectors connected to the pair of third air bags among the plurality of detectors are provided to measure the rotational movement of the head.
The head support device according to claim 1 or 2 . The head support device according to claim 10 , further comprising a measuring unit that measures the rotational movement of the head based on the difference in physical quantities detected by the pair of third detectors. The head support device according to claim 1, 2 or 7 , wherein the first pad and the plurality of air bags are integrally molded from a flexible material. The head support device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 , wherein the support has a concave shape capable of covering the head from the occipital region to the temporal region. The detector, which is connected via the air passage in the air bag, a body motion detector for detecting the pressure of the medium present in the air passage due to morphological changes of the bladder, according to claim 1 or 2 The head support device described. The head support device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the detector has an irradiation unit that irradiates light and a light detection unit that detects light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit and reflected by the air bag. The head support device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the detector is a piezoelectric element provided in contact with the air bag. The frame that surrounds the subject's head and
An RF coil for MR imaging provided on the frame and
A support tool provided on the frame body for supporting the head of a subject , the base, a first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, the base and the first pad. A support having a plurality of air bags provided in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the first pad between the pad and the pad .
In order to measure the movement of the head, the plurality of detectors provided in the plurality of air bags are provided, and each of the plurality of detectors changes according to a change in the form of the plurality of air bags. detecting a physical quantity, a head coil means and a detection unit. The frame that surrounds the subject's head and
An RF coil for MR imaging provided on the frame and
A support tool provided on the frame body to support the head of the subject and
In order to measure the movement of the head, a detection unit for detecting a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of locations of the support is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a base, a first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and a plurality of air bags provided between the base and the first pad. And
The first pad has a pivot on a surface opposite to the contact surface of the head, and is provided on the base so as to be tiltable around the pivot.
A head coil device comprising. The frame that surrounds the subject's head and
An RF coil for MR imaging provided on the frame and
A support tool provided on the frame body to support the head of the subject and
In order to measure the movement of the head, a detection unit for detecting a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of positions of the support is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a plurality of air bags that indirectly or directly support the head.
The plurality of detectors are provided in the plurality of air bags, and detect the physical quantity depending on the change in the morphology of the plurality of air bags.
The plurality of detectors include an irradiation unit that irradiates light and a photodetector that detects light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit and reflected by the air bag.
A head coil device comprising. A support for supporting the head of a subject, the first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and the first pad between the base and the first pad. A support having a plurality of air bags provided in the circumferential direction on the outer circumference of one pad, and
Each of the plurality of places of the support has a plurality of detectors provided in the plurality of air bags, and the plurality of detectors each have a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the plurality of air bags. to detect, and the detection unit,
A measuring unit that measures the movement of the head based on the detected physical quantities at the plurality of locations,
An MR imaging unit that controls MR imaging of the subject according to the measured movement of the head.
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising. A support that supports the subject's head and
A detection unit that detects a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of locations of the support.
A measuring unit that measures the movement of the head based on the detected physical quantities at the plurality of locations,
An MR imaging unit that controls MR imaging of the subject in response to the measured movement of the head is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a base, a first pad provided on the base and in contact with the head, and a plurality of air bags provided between the base and the first pad. And
The first pad has a pivot on a surface opposite to the contact surface of the head, and is provided on the base so as to be tiltable around the pivot.
Magnetic resonance imaging device. A support that supports the subject's head and
A detection unit that detects a physical quantity that changes according to a change in the form of the support at each of a plurality of locations of the support.
A measuring unit that measures the movement of the head based on the detected physical quantities at the plurality of locations,
An MR imaging unit that controls MR imaging of the subject in response to the measured movement of the head is provided.
The detection unit has a plurality of detectors provided at the plurality of locations.
The support has a plurality of air bags that indirectly or directly support the head.
The plurality of detectors are provided in the plurality of air bags, and detect the physical quantity depending on the change in the morphology of the plurality of air bags.
The plurality of detectors include an irradiation unit that irradiates light and a photodetector that detects light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit and reflected by the air bag.
Magnetic resonance imaging device.