JPH10127594A - Magnetic resonance tomographic imaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a strip type high frequency probe used for tomographic imaging of a body part of a patient to be fit on a subject body without any load on the subject. SOLUTION: In this magnetic resonance tomographic imaging system, a high frequency probe can be fit on a patient by inserting to set a strip type high frequency probe P on a space 10 for the high frequency probe equipped on an upper laying board 7 above a movable bed 2, and winding the high frequency probe P around the body of a patient after sliding the high frequency probe P in a direction parallel with the body axis Z of the patient to position of the probe P to the patient on the upper laying board 7 to mount the high frequency probe P on the patient.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a nuclear magnetic resonance (Nu)
The present invention relates to a device for performing tomography of a body of a subject (patient) using the phenomenon of clear magnetic resonance (abbreviation: NMR), and in particular, attaching a band-shaped high-frequency probe used for tomography of the body of the subject to the subject. The technology relates to smooth operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, magnetic resonance tomography apparatuses that perform imaging utilizing the NMR phenomenon have made remarkable progress in the field of medical form diagnosis. In the case of a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, a pulse magnetic field signal for excitation to a patient (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as an “RF signal”) sent into an opening of a gantry by a high-frequency probe also called an RF coil or the like.
And the detection of a nuclear magnetic resonance signal (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “NMR signal”) emitted from the subject, and the image reconstruction is performed by signal processing based on the detected NMR signal. It is configured to create and display a tomographic image.

[0003] In this magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, tomography of various parts such as a patient's head and knees or a body such as abdomen and chest can be performed. Probes are used properly. When performing tomography of a patient's body, a band-shaped high-frequency probe is used. After the band-shaped high-frequency probe for the body is wound around the body of the patient and attached to the patient, the patient is fed into the opening of the gantry, and the imaging is advanced. Of course, the photographed tomographic image is provided to a doctor to be used for making an accurate diagnosis.

[0004]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, there is a problem that when the band-shaped high-frequency probe for the body is mounted on the patient, a burden is imposed on the patient and it takes time to mount the probe. . As shown in FIG. 10A, the patient M is laid on his / her back on a band-shaped high-frequency probe P placed on the top plate Q in a direction orthogonal to the body axis Z of the patient M. At this time, it suffices that the position of the band-shaped high-frequency probe P coincides with the imaging region of the patient M, but in practice, it is almost always shifted up or down. For example,
If the patient M is deviated downward, the patient M is allowed to take a posture to lift his or her back, and the band-shaped high-frequency probe P is moved upward, or the photographing person lifts only the patient M and moves it downward. Then, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the position of the band-shaped high frequency probe P and the imaging site are aligned so as to match each other, and then, as shown in FIG. Is completed, the mounting of the high-frequency probe P is completed.

[0005] However, it is often a heavy burden for the patient M who is sick to be placed in a posture that raises his / her back or lifted. As a result, patient M
The attachment of the belt-shaped high-frequency probe P to the device is performed slowly and carefully with great care, so that it takes time to attach the probe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention quickly attaches a band-shaped high-frequency probe for a body part applied to tomography of a body part of the subject to a subject without burdening the subject. It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus capable of performing the above.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is a band-shaped high-frequency band for a body part which is wound around a body part of a subject. A probe and a movable table that moves into the opening of the gantry in front while the subject on which the band-shaped high-frequency probe is mounted is mounted, and a pulse magnetic field signal for excitation to the subject sent into the opening of the gantry In the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus configured so that the application of the (RF signal) and the detection of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal (NMR signal) emitted from the subject are performed by the band high-frequency probe, The band-shaped high-frequency probe is inserted and set in the lateral direction of the object under the object, and the inserted band-shaped high-frequency probe is inserted into the body axis of the object. RF probe space is slid in a direction parallel it is that are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to the first aspect, the movable table includes a top plate that reciprocates between an inside of the gantry opening and a standby position outside the gantry opening. And a top plate that is separate from the top plate and that is removably placed on the top plate, and the high-frequency probe space is disposed on the top plate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to the second aspect, between the band-shaped high frequency probe and the space for the high frequency probe, the band-shaped high frequency wave inserted and set in the space for the high frequency probe. It is provided with a slide prevention structure for preventing the probe from sliding in the lateral direction of the subject.

(Operation) The operation of the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus of the present invention when performing tomography of a body part of a subject will be described with reference to a band-shaped high-frequency probe for a body part which is closely related to the subject of the present invention. The description will be focused on the mounting of the "high frequency probe". First, a subject to be subjected to tomography is placed on a movable base of the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus. On the movable base of the magnetic resonance tomographic imaging apparatus, a band-shaped high-frequency probe for a body part is set to be inserted in the lateral direction of the subject under the subject, and the inserted band-shaped high-frequency probe is set to the body axis of the subject. A space for a high-frequency probe that is slid in a parallel direction is provided. The high-frequency probe inserted into the space for the high-frequency probe is slid to a region to be imaged in a direction parallel to the body axis of the subject, thereby aligning the high-frequency probe. Next, when the aligned high-frequency probe is wound around the body of the subject, the mounting of the high-frequency probe on the subject is completed. Subsequent to the mounting of the high-frequency probe, the movable table moves into the opening of the gantry in front while the object on which the high-frequency probe is mounted is placed, and thereby the object is carried into the opening of the gantry. Thereafter, the application of the excitation pulse magnetic field signal and the detection of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal used for image reconstruction are performed by the zonal high-frequency probe, and the imaging proceeds.

In the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to the second aspect, after the high-frequency probe is mounted on the subject placed on the upper plate on which the space for the high-frequency probe is disposed, the top plate is mounted. The subject is moved into the gantry opening together with the upper plate by moving into the opening of the gantry in front while the upper plate and the subject to which the high frequency probe is mounted are placed. When the imaging part is not a body part and the upper plate interferes with imaging, the upper plate is removed and the subject is placed directly on the top plate.

In the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the band-shaped high-frequency probe inserted into the high-frequency probe space is set in place by the slide preventing structure provided between the high-frequency probe space and the high-frequency probe space. Since sliding in the horizontal direction is prevented, there is no concern that the high-frequency probe will move in the horizontal direction of the subject and misalignment will occur.

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the entire configuration of a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a movable table periphery and a band high-frequency probe for a body part of the embodiment apparatus, and FIGS. It is a perspective view which shows a mode when attaching a high frequency probe to a patient in an example apparatus.

In the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus of the embodiment, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2, a band-shaped high-frequency probe P for the body and a movable table 2 for carrying the patient M into the opening 1a of the gantry 1 are provided. As shown in FIG.
M wearing a high frequency probe P outside the opening 1a of the patient M
The patient 2 can move the movable table 2 into the opening of the gantry 1 in front of the gantry 1 with the
a.

The gantry 1 is provided with a magnet (not shown) for generating a static magnetic field and a coil (not shown) for generating a gradient magnetic field necessary for tomography. A magnetic field is applied to the patient M carried into the opening of the gantry 1 by a magnet for generating a static magnetic field or a coil for generating a gradient magnetic field and an RF signal is applied by a high frequency probe P in accordance with a command from the console 3 for operation and control. Is done. The NMR signal emitted from the patient is detected by the same high frequency probe P. The operation / control console 3 executes signal processing based on the NMR signal detected by the high-frequency probe P to perform image reconstruction, and displays a tomographic image on the screen of the display monitor 4 as necessary. Hereinafter, the configuration of the main parts of the embodiment device will be described more specifically.

The high-frequency probe P is in the form of a sheet in which the surface of a flexible insulating substrate on which a coil circuit pattern is formed is covered with a protective material such as a laser or cotton cloth. Since the flexible insulating substrate with a weak waist is easy to bend,
It can be easily wound around the body of the patient M. The size of the high-frequency probe P is, for example, 1 m in length and 30 cm in width, but is not limited to this size. At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the high-frequency probe P, a convex strip Pa extending along the width direction is provided.
And a connector of a connection structure type of the groove body Pb. After winding the high-frequency probe P around the body of the patient M, the ridges Pa and the grooves Pb are fitted together and connected,
Fasten so that the high frequency probe P cannot be unraveled. The structure of the connector is arbitrary, and for example, a planar fastener may be used instead of the connector of the connection structure type of the ridges Pa and the grooves Pb.

The movable base 2 is a base 5a that can expand and contract vertically.
The bed 5 and the movable base 2 are integrally moved up and down as the base 5a expands and contracts. In the case of the apparatus according to the embodiment, the movable table 2 has the opening 1a of the gantry 1 and a standby position inside and outside the opening 1a (see FIG. 1).
(The position of the bed 5 shown in FIG. 5),
An upper plate 7 is provided separately from the top plate 6 and is detachably placed on the top plate 6. The upper plate 7 may be simply placed on the top plate 6.
A safety mechanism may be provided to prevent the device from coming off easily. Needless to say, the upper plate 7 also reciprocates with the reciprocation of the top plate 6.

The upper plate 7 has a flat hole penetrating from one side surface 8 to the other side surface 9 and extending in a longitudinal direction (a direction parallel to the body axis Z of the subject). Space 10. The high-frequency probe space 10 allows the high-frequency probe P to be inserted and set below the patient M in the width direction of the upper plate 7 (lateral direction of the patient M), and slides the inserted high-frequency probe P in the longitudinal direction. It is something that can be done.

The mounting operation of the high-frequency probe P for the body of the patient M in the embodiment apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper plate 7 as shown in FIG. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the high-frequency probe P is inserted into the high-frequency probe space 10 and set in the width direction of the upper plate 7. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the patient M is laid on his or her back on the upper plate 7, and then the high-frequency probe P is slid toward the head of the patient M to the imaging region to be positioned. Finally, as shown in FIG. 6, after the high frequency probe P is wound around the body of the patient M, the ridges Pa and the concave grooves Pb of the high frequency probe P are fitted to each other and connected to each other. Installation is complete.

As described above, the high-frequency probe P is easily slid in the longitudinal direction of the high-frequency probe space 10 without causing the patient M to take an unreasonable posture or lifting the patient M. The high-frequency probe P can be positioned. Before placing the upper plate 7 on the top plate 6, the upper plate 7 is used to carry out the mounting of the high-frequency probe P on the patient M, and then the patient M to which the high-frequency probe P is finally mounted is moved upward. The placing plate 7 may be placed on the top plate 6. Of course, following the completion of the mounting of the high-frequency probe P, the patient M is moved to the front opening of the gantry 1 by directly moving the top plate 6 on which the upper plate 7 on which the patient M is placed is placed. The photographing is started by carrying it into the area 1a.

Next, a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to another embodiment will be described. The apparatus of this embodiment includes a slide prevention structure between the high-frequency probe and the high-frequency probe space that prevents the band-shaped high-frequency probe inserted through the high-frequency probe space from sliding in the lateral direction of the subject. Otherwise, the configuration is the same as that of the previous embodiment. Therefore, only the high frequency probe and the upper plate related to the slide prevention structure will be described, and the description of the other parts will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the high-frequency probe R used in the apparatus of this embodiment has a retaining portion 11
The configuration is the same as that of the high frequency probe P except that is fixed. The retaining portion 11 for retaining is assembled and fixed by integral molding of, for example, a polycarbonate resin or a Duracon resin.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS.
The upper plate 12 is formed as a high-frequency probe space 15 with a hole penetrating from one side surface 13 to the other side surface 14 and continuing along the longitudinal direction (a direction parallel to the patient's body axis Z). . The high-frequency probe space 15 has a wide portion 16 extending in the longitudinal direction at the center and narrow portions 17 on both sides thereof.
Consists of The high-frequency probe R is inserted and set in the manufacturing stage in advance so that the retaining portion 11 is fitted into the wide portion 16 so that it is not necessary to insert and set each time it is used.

The retaining portion 11 is slid in the longitudinal direction of the upper plate 12, but is not slid in the width direction because the side surface of the retaining portion 11 hits the side surface of the wide portion 16. . As described above, since the high-frequency probe R does not slide in the width direction of the upper plate 12 (lateral direction of the patient M), the high-frequency probe R always keeps a fixed position in the width direction of the upper plate 12. Hold the high frequency probe R
Is maintained in an appropriate state.

The mounting operation of the high-frequency probe R for the body part of the patient M in the apparatus of this embodiment is the same as that of the previous embodiment.
Since the high-frequency probe R is mounted on the upper plate 12 in advance, it is the same as the previous embodiment except that it is not necessary to insert the high-frequency probe R into the high-frequency probe space 15 and set it. .

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as follows. (1) In the above embodiment, the upper plate has a configuration in which a hole serving as a space for a high-frequency probe is formed.
As shown in the figure, the upper plate 20 has two legs 2 at both ends in the longitudinal direction.
Another example is a configuration that has an outer space 0a, 20a and an open space as a high-frequency probe space 21 is secured on the back surface by the legs 20a, 20a.

(2) In the above embodiment, the high-frequency probe space is provided on the upper plate placed on the top plate. However, the high-frequency probe space is provided on the top plate. Another example is a configuration having no upper plate at all.

[0028]

According to the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus of the first aspect, the high-frequency probe can be moved in a direction parallel to the body axis of the subject without causing the patient to take an unreasonable posture or lifting the patient. Since the positioning of the high-frequency probe can be performed by a simple operation of merely sliding, the high-frequency probe can be quickly mounted without imposing a burden on the subject.

According to the magnetic resonance tomographic imaging apparatus of the second aspect, the movable table is configured such that the upper plate having the space for the high-frequency probe is detachably mounted on the top plate. The movable table can be easily used for tomography of a body part and for tomography of another part, which is very convenient.

According to the magnetic resonance tomographic imaging apparatus of the third aspect, since the slide prevention structure for preventing the band-shaped high frequency probe from sliding in the lateral direction of the subject is provided, the high frequency probe can be moved in the lateral direction of the subject. Maintain the proper mounting state without causing any misalignment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a movable base and a band-shaped high-frequency probe for a body part of the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where an upper plate is removed from a movable base.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an insertion set state of the high frequency probe.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state when positioning a high-frequency probe.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which mounting of the high-frequency probe on a subject is completed.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a movable base and a high-frequency probe according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a high-frequency probe according to another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a movable base in a modified example.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional method of mounting a high-frequency probe on a subject.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Gantry 2 ... Moving table 6 ... Top plate 7, 12 ... Upper plate 10, 15 ... Space for high frequency probe 11 ... Locking part for retaining 16 ... Wide part 21 ... Space for high frequency probe P, R ... High frequency probe Z: patient's body axis M: patient

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A band-shaped high-frequency probe for a body part wound around and mounted on a body part of a subject, and moved into an opening of a front gantry with the subject on which the band-shaped high-frequency probe is mounted. A movable table for performing the application of the excitation pulse magnetic field signal (RF signal) to the subject sent into the opening of the gantry and the detection of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal (NMR signal) emitted from the subject. ,
In the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus configured to be performed by the band-shaped high-frequency probe,
A space for a high-frequency probe is provided in which the band-shaped high-frequency probe can be inserted and set in the lateral direction of the subject under the subject, and the inserted and set high-frequency probe can be slid in a direction parallel to the body axis of the subject. A magnetic resonance tomography apparatus characterized in that: 2. The magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable table reciprocates between an inside of the gantry opening and a standby position outside the gantry opening; A magnetic resonance tomographic imaging apparatus, which is a separate body and comprises an upper plate removably placed on the top plate, and a space for a high-frequency probe is provided on the upper plate. 3. The magnetic resonance tomography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the band-shaped high-frequency probe inserted through the space for the high-frequency probe is set between the band-shaped high-frequency probe and the space for the high-frequency probe. A magnetic resonance tomography apparatus provided with a slide prevention structure for preventing sliding in the lateral direction.