KR101750051B1

KR101750051B1 - Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and controlling method thereof

Info

Publication number: KR101750051B1
Application number: KR1020150181099A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 김준수; 조재문
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2015-02-17
Filing date: 2015-12-17
Publication date: 2017-06-22
Also published as: KR20160101647A; CN107530025A

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is disclosed. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a signal transmitting / receiving unit for transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal; And a control unit for controlling the signal transmission / reception unit based on sequence information according to each imaging protocol, wherein the control unit determines motion degree of the subject according to the sequence information to generate motion information, And to control the devices mounted on the gantry to provide the operation information.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus,

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a control method of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging device is a device that shoots a target object using a magnetic field. It displays three-dimensional images of the bone, disk, joints, and nerve ligament in a desired angle. Is widely used.

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus acquires a magnetic resonance (MR) signal, reconstructs the acquired magnetic resonance signal into an image, and outputs the reconstructed image. The MRI apparatus uses various pulse sequences according to a magnetic resonance image to be acquired.

During magnetic resonance imaging, the subject is continuously exposed to the closed space for more than a few minutes. It is practically difficult for the subject to stand still for more than a few minutes. If the subject moves during shooting, it becomes difficult to obtain a high-quality image.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 9-28689 (JP 1997-028689, published on Feb. 4, 1997), a target reflected on a mirror installed in the bore is photographed with a TV camera to detect the motion of the target, Discloses a technique of analyzing a video of a camera to increase the quality of an image by using a method of deleting or correcting magnetic resonance data when the motion of the object is within an allowable range or the like.

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention aims at minimizing movement of a subject during shooting and acquiring a high-quality photographed image.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio communication system including a signal transmission / reception unit for transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal; And a control unit for controlling the signal transmission / reception unit based on sequence information according to each photographing protocol, wherein the control unit judges, based on the sequence information, the degree of motion of the subject to generate motion information, A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for controlling the devices connected to the MRI apparatus.

And the controller may determine the subject's motility information according to a time interval.

The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus may further include a display for providing the subject with the operation information through an image. And the control unit may control the display so that the display provides the subject with motion information at a time when the subject can move.

And the display may provide an image that may cause concentration of the subject while the signal transmitting and receiving unit receives the magnetic resonance signal for the low frequency region of the k-space.

The display may display an image indicating the progress of the inspection based on the operation of the control unit.

The image indicating the progress of the inspection may include at least one of a progress bar and character information.

The display may display an image indicating the degree of progress of the test by distinguishing the time period within which the subject should be fixed from another time period.

The display may include an invoic display device, an outbore display device, an invoar projector device, and an outbore projector device.

And a control unit for controlling the operation of the fixing unit according to the sequence. The control unit controls the operation of the fixing unit according to the sequence.

And the fixing unit fixes the measurement site of the subject according to the operation of the control unit.

And the fixation part fixes the measurement site of the subject during a time interval during which the subject is to be fixed.

The predetermined sequence information may include information on the intensity of the pulse signal, the application time of the pulse signal, and the application time point of the pulse signal.

An embodiment of the present invention includes: a signal transmitting / receiving step of transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal based on sequence information according to each photographing protocol; A determining step of determining motion information of the subject based on the sequence information and generating motion information; A device controlling step of controlling devices connected to the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus to provide the operation information to the subject; And a control method of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

Wherein the determining step determines the motion information of the subject according to a time interval.

The gantry control step may further include a display step in which the MRI apparatus provides the subject with the operation information through an image.

And the displaying step may provide the subject with motion information at a time when the subject can move.

The display step may include providing an image capable of causing concentration of the subject while receiving the magnetic resonance signal for the low frequency region of the k-space.

And the displaying step may display an image indicating the progress of inspection based on the operation information.

The display step displays the inspection progress degree by distinguishing the time interval in which the subject should be fixed from the other time intervals.

And a fixing step of fixing the movement of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

And the fixing step fixes the measurement site of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

And the fixing step fixes the measurement site of the subject during a time interval during which the subject is to be fixed.

The sequence information may include information on the intensity of the pulse signal, the application time of the pulse signal, and the application time point of the pulse signal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a radio communication system including: a signal transmission / reception unit transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal; A control unit for controlling the RF signal transmitting and receiving unit according to sequence information according to each photographing protocol and for generating motion information by judging motivatable information of a subject according to the sequence information; And a display for providing an image to the subject based on the operation information; And a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

The display may provide an image that can cause the subject to concentrate on the subject according to the operation of the control unit.

Wherein the display unit displays an image indicating the degree of progress of the inspection based on the operation of the control unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of transmitting a signal, comprising: a signal transmission / reception step of transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal in accordance with sequence information according to each photographing protocol; A determining step of determining the degree of motion of the subject based on the sequence information and generating operation information; And providing an image to the subject based on the operation information; And a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

And the image providing step may provide an image that can cause concentration of the subject to the subject according to the signal transmission / reception operation.

And the image providing step displays an image indicating the degree of progress of the inspection based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

1 is a block diagram for explaining a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram for explaining a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5A and 5B are views for explaining a method of controlling a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6A to 6E illustrate exemplary images provided to a subject through a display unit of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8A and 8B are exemplary images provided to a subject through a display unit of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a block diagram illustrating a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11A and 11B illustrate a fixed portion of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a schematic diagram of a general MRI system.
13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings The advantages and features of the present invention, and how to accomplish them, will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The terms used in this specification will be briefly described and the present invention will be described in detail.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Also, in certain cases, there may be a term selected arbitrarily by the applicant, in which case the meaning thereof will be described in detail in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the term used in the present invention should be defined based on the meaning of the term, not on the name of a simple term, but on the entire contents of the present invention.

When an element is referred to as "including" an element throughout the specification, it is to be understood that the element may include other elements, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Also, as used herein, the term "part " refers to a hardware component such as software, FPGA or ASIC, and" part " However, "part" is not meant to be limited to software or hardware. "Part" may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium and may be configured to play back one or more processors. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, "part (s) " refers to components such as software components, object oriented software components, class components and task components, and processes, Subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. The functions provided in the components and "parts " may be combined into a smaller number of components and" parts " or further separated into additional components and "parts ".

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts not related to the description will be omitted.

As used herein, an "image" may refer to multi-dimensional data composed of discrete image elements (e.g., pixels in a two-dimensional image and voxels in a three-dimensional image). For example, the image may include an X-ray device, a CT device, an MRI device, an ultrasound diagnostic device, and a medical image of a subject acquired by another medical imaging device.

In addition, the term "object" herein may include a person or an animal, or a part of a person or an animal. For example, the subject may include a liver, a heart, an uterus, a brain, a breast, an organ such as the abdomen, or a blood vessel. The "subject" may also include a phantom. A phantom is a material that has a volume that is very close to the density of the organism and the effective atomic number, and can include a spheric phantom that has body-like properties.

In this specification, the term "user" may be a doctor, a nurse, a clinical pathologist, a medical imaging expert or the like as a medical professional and may be a technician repairing a medical device, but is not limited thereto.

In the present specification, the term "MR image (Magnetic Resonance image) " means an image of a subject obtained using the nuclear magnetic resonance principle.

In the present specification, the term "pulse sequence" means a series of signals repeatedly applied in the MRI system. The pulse sequence may include a time parameter of the RF pulse, for example, a Repetition Time (TR) and a Time to Echo (TE).

In addition, the term " pulse sequence diagram "in this specification describes the order of events occurring in the MRI system. For example, the pulse sequence schematic diagram may be a schematic diagram showing an RF pulse, a gradient magnetic field, an MR signal, and the like over time.

The MRI system is a device for acquiring an image of a single-layer region of a subject by expressing intensity of an MR (magnetic resonance) signal for a RF (Radio Frequency) signal generated in a magnetic field of a specific intensity in contrast. For example, when the subject is instantly examined and discontinued after an RF signal that lies in a strong magnetic field and resonates only with a specific nucleus (e.g., a hydrogen nucleus), the MR signal is emitted from the particular nucleus. And the MR image can be acquired by receiving the MR signal. The MR signal refers to an RF signal emitted from a subject. The magnitude of the MR signal can be determined by the concentration of predetermined atoms (e.g., hydrogen) included in the subject, the relaxation time T1, the relaxation time T2, and the flow of blood.

The MRI system includes features different from other imaging devices. Unlike imaging devices, such as CT, where acquisitions of images are dependent on the direction of the detecting hardware, the MRI system can acquire oriented 2D images or 3D volume images at any point. Further, unlike CT, X-ray, PET, and SPECT, the MRI system does not expose the subject and the examinee to radiation, and it is possible to acquire an image having a high soft tissue contrast, The neurological image, the intravascular image, the musculoskeletal image and the oncologic image can be acquired.

1 is a block diagram for explaining a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 may include a gantry 120, a signal transceiver 130, and a controller 150.

The gantry 120 blocks electromagnetic waves generated by a main magnet, a gradient coil, an RF coil, etc. from being radiated to the outside. The bore in the gantry 120 forms a static magnetic field and an oblique magnetic field, and an RF signal is irradiated toward the subject.

The gantry 120 may further include a display located outside the gantry 120 and a display located inside the gantry 120. It is possible to provide predetermined information to a user or a subject via a display mounted inside and outside the gantry 120. For example, a display mounted outside the gantry 120 may be installed to provide an image to the user through a mirror attached to the head coil.

The gantry 120 may include a projector inside the bore and a projector outside the bore. For example, a projector inside a bore may have a magnetic shielding condition. For example, a projector outside the bore may project an image onto the inner wall of the bore. For example, a projector outside the bore can project an image to the bore inner wall through a mirror installed on the table.

The control unit 150 can control the gantry 120 and the devices mounted on the gantry 120. [ For example, the control unit 150 can control a display mounted on the gantry 120. [

For example, the control unit 150 controls the displays located on the outside and inside of the gantry 120. For example, the control unit 150 may control on / off of a display located outside and inside of the gantry 120 through a display control unit (not shown), a screen to be outputted to the display, and the like.

The control unit 150 can control the RF signal transmitting and receiving unit according to a predetermined sequence. The control unit 52 can control the signal transmission / reception unit according to a predetermined pulse sequence. Here, the pulse sequence includes all information necessary for controlling the gradient magnetic field amplifier, the RF transmitter, the RF receiver, and the transmitter / receiver switch. For example, the pulse sequence may include a pulse signal applied to the gradient coil, An application time, an application time, and the like.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 may transmit an RF signal to receive a magnetic resonance signal. The signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 controls the inclined magnetic field formed in the gantry 120, that is, the bore, according to a predetermined MR sequence, and controls transmission and reception of the RF signal and the MR signal.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 can receive the magnetic resonance signal by transmitting the RF signal to the subject in the gantry 120 under the control of the controller 150. [ Information on the control operation may be input to the control unit 150 and the control unit 150 may receive such input to control the devices (e.g., display, various mechanical devices) mounted on the gantry.

The control unit 150 may include a plurality of functions according to various embodiments. For example, the control unit 150 can be divided into a gantry control unit for controlling the gantry and a sequence control unit for controlling the signal transmission / reception unit.

The magnetic resonance apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can control devices mounted on the gantry 120 such that the controller 150 provides operation information to the subject according to the sequence information.

In this specification, the operation information may include information that distinguishes between a time zone in which the quality of the MR image can be greatly affected if the subject moves, and a time zone in which the subject may not have a great influence on the quality of the MR image. In addition, the operation information includes visual information such as an image, audio information such as audio, as well as machine operation. For example, the operation information may include information on the movement of the fixing unit, which will be described later.

For example, the control unit 150 may control various devices mounted on the display or the table. In addition, various devices mounted on the display or table can assist the subject in providing motion information or preventing the subject from moving.

In addition, various devices mounted on the display or the table can provide the examinee with the movable time zone of the subject. In the present specification, the time available for motion can refer to a time zone when there is no significant change in the image quality of the magnetic resonance image when the subject moves. For example, the motion-enabled time zone may be a time zone for acquiring data corresponding to a high frequency in the k-space.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, in step S110, the magnetic resonance apparatus 100 may transmit an RF signal and receive a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, according to a sequence.

In step S130, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 can provide operation information to the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation. For example, the magnetic resonance apparatus 100 can provide motion information to a subject by referring to a pulse sequence. For example, the display of the MRI apparatus 100 may provide a subject with an image based on motion information.

For example, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 can provide operation information at a time when a target object (for example, a subject) is to be fixed through a display image. The operation information can be provided to the operator and the subject simultaneously.

Thus, the subject may be provided with the above-described operation information, may not move consciously, and the magnetic resonance apparatus may acquire a high-quality image by photographing the object without shaking.

For example, the display can provide an image that can cause concentration of the subject while the signal transmitting and receiving unit receives the magnetic resonance signal for the low-frequency region of the k-space. The images that can induce the concentration of the subject can vary. Also, the image may be selected through user modeling information of the subject. Therefore, the subject may not focus on the image, and the magnetic resonance apparatus can acquire a high-quality image by photographing the object without shaking.

For example, the display can provide the subject with an image indicating the degree of progress of the examination based on the operation of the control unit. For example, the display may provide the subject with an operation of the pulse sequence through at least one of progress and character information. For example, the display can display a progress bar, distinguishing a time interval within which a subject should be fixed from another time interval. Therefore, the subject may not consciously move with reference to the progress of the image (for example, a progress bar) indicating the degree of progress of the examination, and the magnetic resonance apparatus can acquire a high- have.

For example, the gantry may include a fixing portion within which the movement of the subject can be fixed based on a signal transmission / reception operation. For example, the fixed unit can fix the measurement site of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

For example, when the magnetic resonance apparatus is photographing the subject's head, the fixed unit can fix the head based on the signal transmission / reception operation. For example, when the magnetic resonance apparatus is photographing the heart part of the subject, the fixing part can fix the subject's bust part based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

Therefore, the magnetic resonance apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide motion information to a subject based on a signal transmission / reception operation, so that the subject can consciously recognize movement of the imaging state to minimize motion, It is possible to acquire a higher quality image by shooting a subject without a subject.

3 is a block diagram for explaining a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100a may include a gantry 120, a signal transmission / reception unit 130, and a control unit 150. Referring to FIG. In addition, the gantry 120 may include a display 121.

The controller 150 and the signal transceiver 130 may operate similarly to the case of FIG.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 can receive the magnetic resonance signal by transmitting the RF signal to the subject in the gantry 120 under the control of the controller 150. [ Information on the control operation may be input to the control unit 150. [ The control unit 150 may receive information on the control operation of the control unit 150 and may control the display 121.

The display 121 may include an in-vehicle display device, an out-bore display device, an in-boa projector device, and an out-bore projector device. For example, the outbore display device can be installed to provide an image to the user through a mirror attached to the head coil. For example, the in-beam projector apparatus can operate with a magnetic shielding condition. For example, an out-bore projector device can project an image to the bore inner wall. For example, the out-bore projector apparatus can project an image to the inner wall of the bore through a mirror installed on the table.

The gantry 120 may further include a display located outside the gantry 120 and a display located inside the gantry 120. The magnetic resonance apparatus 100a can provide predetermined information to a user or a subject through a display mounted inside and outside of the gantry 120. [

The control unit 150 can control the gantry 120 and the display 121 mounted on the gantry 120. [ Specifically, the controller 150 can control on / off of the display 121 or a screen to be displayed on the display through a display controller (not shown).

Hereinafter, the specific operation of the display 121 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8B.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 4, in step S110, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 may transmit an RF signal and receive a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, according to a sequence.

In step S131, the display of the MRI apparatus 100 can provide the subject with an image based on the operation information. For example, while the signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 receives a magnetic resonance signal for the low-frequency region of the k-space, the display 121 can provide an image that can cause concentration of the subject. In another embodiment, the display 121 may be provided with an image to the operator and the subject simultaneously.

5A and 5B are views for explaining a method of controlling a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5A, the controller 150 may receive a magnetic resonance signal for a different frequency region according to a time zone through the signal transmitting and receiving unit 130. FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a magnetic resonance signal for a high frequency region is received in a first time period (for example, up to about 30 seconds after the start of photographing), and a second time period (for example, A magnetic resonance signal for a low frequency region is received and a magnetic resonance signal for a high frequency region is received again in a third time period (for example, about two minutes after the start of photographing).

On the other hand, since the quality of an image is more influenced by a signal for a low-frequency region than a signal for a high-frequency region, the quality of the magnetic resonance image is significantly degraded if the subject moves in the second time period.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5B, the first image IM_I that can be relaxed by the subject during the first time period is provided, and the second image IM_2 for inducing the concentration of the subject during the second time period is provided , And the third image IM_3 that the subject can relax the tension in the third time period.

5B, the image provided by the display 121 is not limited to the first image IM_1, the second image IM_2, and the third image IM_3. That is, the first image IM_1, the second image IM_2, and the third image IM_3 provided by the display 121 may be different. For example, the concentration of the subject can be induced through various kinds of images shown in Figs. 6A to 6E.

Further, for example, the image provided by the display 121 can be determined through information on the subject. For example, the first image IM_1, the second image IM_2, and the third image IM_3 may be determined based on the age, sex, occupation, etc. of the subject. Also, for example, the display 121 can display an image that causes concentration irrespective of information on the subject.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 7, in step S110, the magnetic resonance apparatus 100 can transmit an RF signal and receive a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, according to a sequence.

In step S133, the display 121 may provide the subject with the operation information through an image (e.g., a progress bar or character information) indicating the progress of the examination.

For example, the display 121 may recognize a subject or operator through a progress bar several seconds before the moveable time zone or the moveable time zone.

In addition, the display 121 can provide operation information to the subject through characters, along with a progress bar.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, a progress bar may be displayed along with the character " Please Relax " in the first time period, and a progress bar may be displayed in the second time period with the character " Please Stay Still & And the progress bar can be displayed in the third time period with the text " Almost complete ".

In this embodiment, the shape, shape, color and content of the progress bar, font, size, and the like do not limit the scope of right. Also, in this embodiment, time intervals can be variously divided.

8B, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 can transmit an RF signal based on a sequence according to the imaging protocol, receive a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, ) May provide the subject with motion information in the form of a progress bar. Specifically, the progress bar can display information on the first protocol photographing interval P_1, the second protocol photographing interval P_2, and the third protocol photographing interval P_3. In addition, the progress bar can display information on the shooting stop intervals (R_1 to R_3) interposed between consecutive protocol shooting sections. The progress bar may provide information to the subject about the current degree of progress of the test (t _x ).

The progressive bar provides information indicating that the subject is unable to move in the protocol shooting sections P_1 to P_3 and provides information indicating that the subject is allowed to move in the shooting stop intervals R_1 to R_3 in the form of characters . For example, the progress bar displays information of a character type of "motionless" during the first to third protocol shooting intervals P_1 to P_3, and information of a character form of "motion enabled" is displayed in the shooting stop intervals R_1 to R_3 Can be displayed. However, the method of providing information in the progress bar is not limited to the above-exemplified method, but may be provided in the form of voice or sound in addition to characters.

9 is a block diagram illustrating a MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100b may include a gantry 120, a signal transmitting / receiving unit 130, and a controller 150. In addition, the gantry 120 may include a fixed portion 123.

The gantry 120 may further include a fixing portion 123. The gantry 120 can fix the subject according to the time interval through the fixing portion 123 and can acquire a high quality image by fixing the subject directly in a specific time period. In other words, it is possible to minimize the motion of the subject by fixing the subject through the fixing unit 123 in a time interval having high relevance to the quality of the image.

The control unit 150 can control the gantry 120 and the fixed unit 123 mounted on the gantry 120. [ Specifically, the control unit 150 can control the operation of the fixing unit 123 through a table control unit (not shown).

For example, the control unit 150 may fix the head of the subject through the fixing unit 123 so that the movement of the head of the subject is minimized during the first time period. In addition, the control unit 150 may fix the body of the subject through the fixing unit 123 so that the movement of the subject's body is minimized during the second time period.

The magnetic resonance apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can control the fixing unit 123 so that the control unit 150 fixes the subject according to the sequence information.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 130 can receive the magnetic resonance signal by transmitting the RF signal to the subject in the gantry 120 under the control of the controller 150. [ Information on the control operation of the control unit 150 can be input to the control unit 150 and the control unit 150 can receive the input and control the fixing unit 123. [

Specific operations of the fixing unit 123 will be described below with reference to Figs. 10, 11A, and 11B.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 10, in step S110, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 may transmit an RF signal and receive a magnetic resonance signal from a subject, according to a sequence. In step S130, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 100 can provide operation information to the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

In step S150, the magnetic resonance apparatus 100 can fix the movement of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation through the fixing unit 123. [ In another embodiment of the present invention, the motion of the subject can be fixed through the fixing unit 123 without providing the operation information of step S130.

The shape of the fixing portion 123 may vary, as shown in Figs. 11A and 11B. For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, the fixing portion 123 may be configured to cover the head portion from the upper side to the lower side to fix the head portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, the fixing part 123 may be configured to fix the head part from the left and right sides of the head part to fix the head part.

12 is a schematic diagram of a general MRI system. Referring to FIG. 12, the MRI system may include a gantry 20, a signal transmission / reception unit 30, a monitoring unit 40, a system control unit 50, and an operating unit 60.

The gantry 20 blocks electromagnetic waves generated by the main magnet 22, the gradient coil 24, the RF coil 26 and the like from being radiated to the outside. A static magnetic field and an oblique magnetic field are formed in a bore in the gantry 20 and an RF signal is irradiated toward the subject 10. [

The main magnet 22, the gradient coil 24, and the RF coil 26 may be disposed along a predetermined direction of the gantry 20. The predetermined direction may include a coaxial cylindrical direction or the like. The subject 10 can be placed on a table 28 insertable into the cylinder along the horizontal axis of the cylinder.

The main magnet 22 generates a static magnetic field or a static magnetic field for aligning the magnetic dipole moment of the nuclei included in the subject 10 in a predetermined direction. As the magnetic field generated by the main magnet is strong and uniform, a relatively precise and accurate MR image for the subject 10 can be obtained.

The gradient coil 24 includes X, Y, and Z coils that generate a gradient magnetic field in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions orthogonal to each other. The gradient coil 24 can provide position information of each part of the subject 10 by inducing different resonance frequencies for each part of the subject 10.

The RF coil 26 can irradiate the RF signal to the patient and receive the MR signal emitted from the patient. Specifically, the RF coil 26 transmits an RF signal having the same frequency as the frequency of the car motions to the nucleus existing in the patient who carries out the car wash motion, stops the transmission of the RF signal, And can receive the MR signal emitted.

For example, the RF coil 26 generates an electromagnetic wave signal, for example, an RF signal having a radio frequency corresponding to the kind of the atomic nucleus, so as to transition a certain atomic nucleus from a low energy state to a high energy state, 10). When an electromagnetic wave signal generated by the RF coil 26 is applied to an atomic nucleus, the atomic nucleus can be transited from a low energy state to a high energy state. Thereafter, when the electromagnetic wave generated by the RF coil 26 disappears, the atomic nucleus to which the electromagnetic wave has been applied can emit electromagnetic waves having a Lamor frequency while transiting from a high energy state to a low energy state. In other words, when the application of the electromagnetic wave signal to the atomic nucleus is interrupted, the energy level from the high energy to the low energy is generated in the atomic nucleus where the electromagnetic wave is applied, and the electromagnetic wave having the Lamor frequency can be emitted. The RF coil 26 can receive an electromagnetic wave signal radiated from the nuclei inside the subject 10. [

The RF coil 26 may be implemented as a single RF transmitting and receiving coil having both a function of generating an electromagnetic wave having a radio frequency corresponding to the type of an atomic nucleus and a function of receiving electromagnetic waves radiated from the atomic nucleus. It may also be implemented as a receiving RF coil having a function of generating an electromagnetic wave having a radio frequency corresponding to the type of an atomic nucleus and a receiving RF coil having a function of receiving electromagnetic waves radiated from the atomic nucleus.

In addition, the RF coil 26 may be fixed to the gantry 20 and may be removable. The removable RF coil 26 may include RF coils for a portion of the subject, including a head RF coil, a thorax RF coil, a leg RF coil, a neck RF coil, a shoulder RF coil, a wrist RF coil, and an ankle RF coil. have.

Also, the RF coil 26 can communicate with an external device by wire and / or wireless, and can perform dual tune communication according to a communication frequency band.

The RF coil 26 may include a birdcage coil, a surface coil, and a transverse electromagnetic coil (TEM coil) according to the structure of the coil.

In addition, the RF coil 26 may include a transmission-only coil, a reception-only coil, and a transmission / reception-use coil according to an RF signal transmitting / receiving method.

In addition, the RF coil 26 may include RF coils of various channels such as 16 channels, 32 channels, 72 channels, and 144 channels.

The gantry 20 may further include a display 29 located outside the gantry 20 and a display (not shown) located inside the gantry 20. It is possible to provide predetermined information to a user or a subject through a display located inside and outside the gantry 20.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 30 controls the inclined magnetic field formed in the gantry 20, that is, the bore, according to a predetermined MR sequence, and can control transmission and reception of the RF signal and the MR signal.

The signal transmitting and receiving unit 30 may include a gradient magnetic field amplifier 32, a transmitting and receiving switch 34, an RF transmitting unit 36, and an RF receiving unit 38.

The gradient magnetic field amplifier 32 drives the gradient coil 24 included in the gantry 20 and generates a pulse signal for generating a gradient magnetic field under the control of the gradient magnetic field control unit 54, . By controlling the pulse signals supplied from the oblique magnetic field amplifier 32 to the gradient coil 24, gradient magnetic fields in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions can be synthesized.

The RF transmitter 36 and the RF receiver 38 can drive the RF coil 26. The RF transmitting unit 36 supplies RF pulses of the Ramore frequency to the RF coil 26 and the RF receiving unit 38 can receive the MR signals received by the RF coil 26.

The transmission / reception switch 34 can adjust the transmission / reception direction of the RF signal and the MR signal. For example, an RF signal may be irradiated to the subject 10 via the RF coil 26 during a transmission mode, and an MR signal from the subject 10 may be received via the RF coil 26 during a reception mode . The transmission / reception switch 34 can be controlled by a control signal from the RF control unit 56. [

The monitoring unit 40 can monitor or control devices mounted on the gantry 20 or the gantry 20. The monitoring unit 40 may include a system monitoring unit 42, a subject monitoring unit 44, a table control unit 46, and a display control unit 48.

The system monitoring unit 42 monitors the state of the static magnetic field, the state of the inclined magnetic field, the state of the RF signal, the state of the RF coil, the state of the table, the state of the device for measuring the subject's body information, You can monitor and control the state of the compressor.

The subject monitoring unit 44 monitors the condition of the subject 10. [ Specifically, the subject monitoring unit 44 includes a camera for observing the movement or position of the subject 10, a respiration measuring device for measuring respiration of the subject 10, an ECG measuring device for measuring the electrocardiogram of the subject 10, Or a body temperature measuring device for measuring the body temperature of the subject 10. [

The table control unit 46 controls the movement of the table 28 on which the subject 10 is located. The table control unit 46 may control the movement of the table 28 according to the sequence control of the control unit 50. [ For example, in moving imaging of a subject, the table control unit 46 may move the table 28 continuously or intermittently according to the sequence control by the control unit 50, The subject can be photographed with a FOV greater than the field of view (FOV) of the gantry.

The table control unit 46 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be operated under the control of the control unit 58. [ The table control unit 46 according to an embodiment of the present invention can control the fixing unit 123 according to the sequence of operations of the control unit 150. [ Thus, it is possible to acquire a high-quality image by directly fixing the motion of the subject.

The display control unit 48 controls the displays located outside and inside the gantry 20. Specifically, the display control unit 48 can control on / off of a display located outside and inside of the gantry 20, a screen to be output to the display, and the like. Further, when a speaker is located inside or outside the gantry 20, the display control unit 48 may control on / off of the speaker, sound to be output through the speaker, and the like.

The display control unit 48 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be operated under the control of the control unit 58. [ The display control unit 48 according to an embodiment of the present invention can control the display 121 according to the sequence of operations of the control unit 150. [ Thus, the subject can see a specific image, consciously refrain from moving, and acquire a high-quality image.

The system control unit 50 may include a control unit 52 for controlling a sequence of signals formed inside the gantry 20 and a control unit 58 for controlling the gantry 20 and the devices mounted on the gantry 20 have.

The control section 52 includes an inclination magnetic field control section 54 for controlling the gradient magnetic field amplifier 32 and an RF control section 56 for controlling the RF transmission section 36, the RF reception section 38 and the transmission / reception switch 34 . The control unit 52 can control the gradient magnetic field amplifier 32, the RF transmission unit 36, the RF reception unit 38 and the transmission / reception switch 34 in accordance with the pulse sequence received from the operating unit 60. [ Here, the pulse sequence includes all information necessary for controlling the oblique magnetic field amplifier 32, the RF transmitter 36, the RF receiver 38, and the transmitter / receiver switch 34. For example, Information on the intensity of the pulse signal applied to the coil 24, the application time, the application time, and the like.

The operating unit 60 can instruct the system control unit 50 of the pulse sequence information and can control the operation of the entire MRI system.

The operating unit 60 may include an image processing unit 62, an output unit 64, and an input unit 66 that receive and process the MR signal received by the RF receiving unit 38.

The image processing unit 62 can process the MR signal received from the RF receiving unit 38 to generate MR image data for the subject 10.

The image processing unit 62 receives the MR signal received by the RF receiving unit 38 and applies various signal processing such as amplification, frequency conversion, phase detection, low frequency amplification, filtering, and the like to the received MR signal.

The image processing unit 62 arranges digital data in a k space (for example, a Fourier space or a frequency space) of a memory and performs two-dimensional or three-dimensional Fourier transform on the data, Data can be reconstructed.

Further, the image processing unit 62 can perform composition processing, difference calculation processing, and the like on the reconstructed image data (data), if necessary. The combining process may be an adding process on a pixel, a maximum projection (MIP) process, and the like. Further, the image processing unit 62 can store not only the image data to be reconstructed but also the image data on which the combining process and the difference calculating process have been performed in a memory (not shown) or an external server.

In addition, various signal processes applied to the MR signal by the image processing unit 62 may be performed in parallel. For example, a plurality of MR signals may be reconstructed into image data by applying signal processing to a plurality of MR signals received by the multi-channel RF coil in parallel.

The output unit 64 can output the image data or the reconstructed image data generated by the image processing unit 62 to the user. The output unit 64 may output information necessary for a user to operate the MRI system, such as a user interface (UI), user information, or subject information. The output unit 64 may be a speaker, a printer, a CRT display, an LCD display, a PDP display, an OLED display, an FED display, an LED display, a VFD display, a DLP (Digital Light Processing) display, a flat panel display (PFD) Display, transparent display, and the like, and may include various output devices within a range that is obvious to those skilled in the art.

The user can input test subject information, parameter information, scan conditions, pulse sequence, information on image synthesis and calculation of difference, etc., using the input unit 66. Examples of the input unit 66 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a voice recognition unit, a gesture recognition unit, a touch screen, and the like, and may include various input devices within a range obvious to those skilled in the art.

12 shows the signal transmission / reception unit 30, the monitoring unit 40, the system control unit 50, and the operating unit 60 as separate objects, the signal transmission / reception unit 30, the monitoring unit 40, Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the functions performed by the control unit 50 and the operating unit 60, respectively, may be performed in different objects. For example, the image processor 62 described above converts the MR signal received by the RF receiver 38 into a digital signal, but the RF receiver 38 or the RF coil 26 directly converts the MR signal received by the RF receiver 38 into a digital signal. .

The gantry 20, the RF coil 26, the signal transmitting and receiving unit 30, the monitoring unit 40, the system control unit 50 and the operating unit 60 may be connected to each other wirelessly or wired, And a device (not shown) for synchronizing clocks with each other. Communication between the gantry 20, the RF coil 26, the signal transmitting and receiving unit 30, the monitoring unit 40, the system control unit 50 and the operating unit 60 can be performed at a high speed such as LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) A digital interface, an asynchronous serial communication such as a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART), a hypo-synchronous serial communication, or a CAN (Controller Area Network) can be used. Various communication methods can be used.

13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication unit 70 may be connected to at least one of the gantry 20, the signal transmission / reception unit 30, the monitoring unit 40, the system control unit 50, and the operating unit 60 shown in FIG.

The communication unit 70 can exchange data with other medical devices in a hospital server or a hospital connected through a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), and can transmit and receive data in a digital image and communication (DICOM) Medicine) standards.

13, the communication unit 70 may be connected to the network 80 by wire or wirelessly to perform communication with the server 92, the medical device 94, or the portable device 96. [

Specifically, the communication unit 70 can transmit and receive data related to diagnosis of a subject via the network 80, and can transmit and receive a medical image captured by the medical device 94 such as CT, MRI, and X-ray. Further, the communication unit 70 may receive the diagnosis history or the treatment schedule of the patient from the server 92 and utilize it for diagnosis of the subject. The communication unit 70 may perform data communication with not only the server 92 in the hospital or the medical device 94 but also the portable device 96 such as a doctor, a customer's mobile phone, a PDA, or a notebook computer.

Also, the communication unit 70 may transmit the abnormality of the MRI system or the medical image quality information to the user via the network 80, and may receive the feedback from the user.

The communication unit 70 may include one or more components that enable communication with an external device and may include, for example, a short range communication module 72, a wired communication module 74 and a wireless communication module 76 have.

The short-range communication module 72 refers to a module for performing short-range communication with a device located within a predetermined distance. The local area communication technology according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a wireless LAN, a Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth, a zigbee, a Wi-Fi direct, an ultra wideband (UWB) , Infrared Data Association (BDE), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), and the like.

The wired communication module 74 is a module for performing communication using an electric signal or an optical signal. The wired communication module according to the embodiment of the present invention uses a pair cable, a coaxial cable, an optical fiber cable, Wired communication technology may be included, and wired communication technology that is obvious to those skilled in the art may be included.

The wireless communication module 76 transmits and receives a wireless signal to at least one of a base station, an external device, and a server on the mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal, or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention can be embodied in a general-purpose digital computer that can be embodied as a program that can be executed by a computer and operates the program using a computer-readable recording medium.

The computer readable recording medium may be a magnetic storage medium such as a ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc., an optical reading medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD and a carrier wave such as the Internet Lt; / RTI > transmission).

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

100: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Device
110: Signal transmission /
120:
130:

Claims

In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus,
A signal transmitting and receiving unit transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal;
A control unit for controlling the signal transmission / reception unit based on sequence information according to each photographing protocol, for generating motion information by determining the degree of motion of the subject; And
A display for outputting the operation information;
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the control unit controls the signal transmitting and receiving unit to receive the k-space high frequency magnetic resonance signal during the first time interval and the k-space low frequency magnetic resonance signal during the second time interval,
Wherein the display provides information that the subject is able to move during the first time period and provides information that the subject is unable to move during the second time period.

delete

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the display provides an image that can cause concentration of a subject during a second time interval.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the display displays an image indicating the degree of progress of the examination based on the operation of the controller.

The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the image indicating the progress of the examination includes at least one of a progress bar and character information.

The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the display displays an image indicating the degree of progress of the examination by distinguishing a time period within which the subject should be fixed from another time period.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the display comprises an invoic display device, an outbore display device, an invoar projector device, and an outbore projector device.

The method according to claim 1,
A fixing part capable of fixing the movement of the subject is included in the bore,
Wherein the control unit controls the operation of the fixing unit according to the sequence.

11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the fixation unit fixes the measurement site of the subject according to the operation of the control unit.

11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the fixation section fixes the measurement site of the subject during a time interval during which the subject is to be fixed.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the sequence information includes information on the intensity of the pulse signal, the application time of the pulse signal, and the application time point of the pulse signal.

A method of controlling a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus,
A signal transmitting / receiving step of transmitting an RF signal and receiving a magnetic resonance signal based on sequence information according to each photographing protocol;
A determining step of determining motion information of the subject based on the sequence information and generating motion information;
A device controlling step of controlling devices connected to the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus to provide the subject with the operation information; Lt; / RTI >
Receiving the k-space high frequency magnetic resonance signal during the first time interval, receiving the low frequency magnetic resonance signal of the k-space during the second time interval,
The device controlling step controls the display unit of the MRI apparatus so as to provide information indicating that the subject is able to move during the first time period and provide information indicating that the subject is unable to move during the second time period .

delete

15. The method of claim 14,
And providing an image that can cause concentration of the subject during the second time period.

15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the device control step controls the display unit to display an image indicating the degree of progress of inspection based on the operation information.

20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein the image indicating the progress of the inspection includes at least one of a progress bar and character information.

20. The method of claim 19,
Wherein the device control step controls the display unit to display the inspection progress degree by distinguishing a time interval in which the test subject should be fixed from another time interval.

15. The method of claim 14,
A fixing step of fixing the movement of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation; Further comprising the steps of:

23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein the fixing step fixes the measurement site of the subject based on the signal transmission / reception operation.

24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the fixing step fixes the measurement site of the subject during a time interval during which the subject is to be fixed.

15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the sequence information includes information on the intensity of the pulse signal, the application time of the pulse signal, and the application time point of the pulse signal.

delete