KR20150030816A - Apparatus for Thermal Surveillance Camera System of the Magnetic Resonance Image and the Method for Controlling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal surveillance camera system of a magnetic resonance image for a patient, which is capable of reducing various kinds of medical accidents and risks, stably obtaining a magnetic resonance image, and preventing the rapid generation of heat due to RF by detecting the body temperature of a patient by using a thermal surveillance camera in a magnetic resonance image imaging process, and a method for controlling the same. A thermal surveillance camera system of a magnetic resonance image for a patient according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a magnetic resonance image apparatus which generates a magnetic field in a magnetic inspection room and diagnoses a patient in the magnetic inspection room by using the magnetic field, camera parts, and a control part. The camera parts include a surveillance camera which monitors the condition of the patient by imaging the patient. When the body temperature of the patient detected by the thermal surveillance camera is higher than a predetermined reference temperature, the control part stops the operation of the magnetic resonance image apparatus. The reference temperature can be the normal body temperature of the patient detected by using the thermal surveillance camera before the diagnosis by the magnetic resonance image apparatus.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal imaging camera system for a patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a control method thereof,

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a magnetic resonance imaging method which can prevent rapid heat generation due to RF by sensing a body temperature of a patient by using a thermal camera during magnetic resonance imaging, obtain magnetic resonance images stably, The present invention relates to a thermal imaging camera system for a patient monitoring of an imaging apparatus and a control method thereof.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is a device that can non-invasively acquire a magnetic resonance image containing information about a living tissue of a patient using a magnetic field. The magnetic resonance imaging system uses the resonance phenomenon of the hydrogen atom (H), which constitutes the majority of the human body, to obtain information inside the human body.

That is, when the hydrogen atoms are placed in the magnetic field, they are aligned along the direction of the magnetic field, and the body is magnetized as the rotation direction of the nuclei becomes constant. The magnetic resonance imaging device shoots high frequency electromagnetic waves to the magnetized body, and the nucleus of hydrogen absorbs the high frequency energy and temporarily has different alignment direction. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus stops supplying the electromagnetic wave when it is confirmed that the change of the alignment direction of the hydrogen nucleus is completed, and the hydrogen nucleus returns to the initial form aligned in the magnetic field state while emitting the high frequency energy absorbed. However, under the same conditions, the time taken for the hydrogen nucleus to return to the initial form differs depending on the internal structure and configuration of the body, and this difference is used to confirm the internal structure and configuration of the body.

The acquisition of medical images using these MRI systems is widely used as one of basic and essential methods for diagnosis and treatment. However, magnetic resonance imaging devices continuously apply electromagnetic waves to the human body for signal generation and image acquisition, and the RF energy to be used is absorbed by the human tissue, thereby heating the tissue. If this heating is not controlled, it will cause cardiovascular and nervous system disorders, especially severe skin burns.

Absorption by RF in magnetic resonance can be expressed as a specific absorption rate (SAR). According to the FAD recommendation, the average of 4 W / kg or 10 minutes of imaging time for whole human imaging, With an average of 3 W / kg or 5 W / kg for limb tissue imaging. However, unlike US FDA standards, Europe and Japan set slightly different standards. Also, the specific absorption rate depends on the intensity of the main magnetic field, the RF power, the duty cycle RF transmission coil, and the size of the human body.

Particularly, when a metal material is inserted, a heating phenomenon occurs locally due to RF energy, thereby causing thermal damage to the surrounding metal structure. Although it is possible to monitor the burns and discomfort due to the heat between the shoots, whether or not the metal is inserted into the body through the pre-shooting test and post-shooting questionnaires, it is possible to monitor in real time the pathological physiological phenomena associated with the fever and fever during shooting There is a limited method.

In addition, metallic insertions are potentially a risk factor because of the need to rely solely on the patient's statements, such as inserting small metal inserts or metallic materials that are difficult for the patient to judge. It is very important to monitor the fever during shooting because it is necessary to stop the shooting in real time and instantly when the burn is caused by heat.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop a system capable of easily and efficiently monitoring the fever caused by RF, which may occur in a patient diagnosis process using a magnetic resonance imaging system.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0021194 Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0041351

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been conceived to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of preventing rapid heat generation by RF by sensing a body temperature of a patient using a thermal imaging camera, And an object thereof is to provide a user with a thermal imaging camera system and a control method thereof for a patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus which can reduce various medical accidents and risks.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which a camera capable of detecting a body temperature of a patient is installed in a magnetic examination room to monitor a fever phenomenon by RF in real time, and when a body temperature of the patient rises by a predetermined value or more And it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of ensuring safe diagnosis by controlling the operation of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

In addition, the present invention provides a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of real-time monitoring of the body temperature of a patient in preparation for a high-field magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, which is expected to become widespread in the future It has its purpose.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It can be understood.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an example of the present invention generates a magnetic field in a magnetic testing room formed therein and diagnoses a patient located in the magnetic testing room using the magnetic field A plurality of camera units, each of the plurality of camera units comprising: a surveillance camera for photographing the patient and monitoring the condition of the patient; and a thermal imaging camera for sensing the temperature of the patient Wherein the control unit controls the operation of the MRI apparatus to be stopped when the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera is higher than a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more, The patient's normal body sensed by the thermal imaging camera before diagnosis by the device One can.

The surveillance camera and the thermal imaging camera may be capable of performing at least one of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom operation.

At least one of the plurality of camera units may be installed on a wall surface of a room where the MRI apparatus is disposed.

At least one of the plurality of camera units may be installed in a magnetic examination room of the MRI apparatus.

The camera unit installed in the magnetic examination room among the plurality of camera units may be installed adjacent to at least one of the head portion of the patient and the foot portion of the patient located in the magnetic examination room.

The monitoring camera and the thermal imaging camera may be made of a non-magnetic material.

The apparatus may further include a display unit for outputting at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the monitoring camera and the thermal image related to the temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera.

The apparatus may further include a storage unit for storing at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the monitoring camera and the thermal image related to the temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal imaging camera system for monitoring a patient in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, the system comprising: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for diagnosing a patient, a camera unit for performing a first function and a second function, and a control unit, wherein the first function is a function for monitoring the state of the patient by photographing the patient, Wherein the controller senses the body temperature of the patient and when the body temperature of the patient sensed by the second function of the camera unit rises above a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more, And the reference temperature is determined by using a second function of the camera unit before diagnosis by the MRI apparatus Detection may be a normal body temperature of the subject.

In addition, the camera unit may perform at least one of pan, tilt, and zoom operations.

The apparatus may further include a display unit for outputting at least one of a first image and a second image, wherein the first image is the image of the patient photographed by the first function of the camera unit, May be a thermal imaging image associated with the body temperature of the patient as sensed by the second function.

The display unit may further include switching means for switching the first image and the second image output from the display unit.

The apparatus may further include a storage unit for storing at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the first function of the camera unit and the thermal image of the patient sensed by the second function of the camera unit .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal imaging camera system for a patient monitoring system, the method comprising: measuring a reference temperature; The method comprising the steps of: placing the patient in a magnetic testing room formed in the magnetic testing room, generating a magnetic field in the magnetic testing room, sensing a body temperature of the patient by a thermal imaging camera, satisfying a first condition related to the detected body temperature of the patient, And controlling the operation of the MRI apparatus to be stopped when the first condition is satisfied, wherein the first condition is that the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera exceeds a predetermined value Wherein the reference temperature is the number of days of normal body temperature of the patient sensed using the thermal imaging camera have.

On the other hand, a program of instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method of controlling a thermal imaging camera system of a patient monitoring system of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is tangibly embodied and can be read by the digital processing apparatus A method for controlling a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an example of the present invention for solving the above problems in a recording medium includes the steps of measuring a reference temperature, Placing the patient in a magnetic examination room formed inside a resonance imaging apparatus and generating a magnetic field in the magnetic examination room, sensing a body temperature of the patient by a thermal imaging camera, satisfying a first condition related to the detected body temperature of the patient And when the first condition is satisfied, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus Wherein the first condition is a condition in which the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera rises above a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more, And may be the normal body temperature of the patient.

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a magnetic resonance imaging method which can prevent rapid heat generation due to RF by sensing a body temperature of a patient by using a thermal camera during magnetic resonance imaging, obtain magnetic resonance images stably, It is possible to provide a user with an infrared camera system and a control method thereof for patient monitoring of the imaging apparatus.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which a camera capable of detecting a body temperature of a patient is installed in a magnetic examination room to monitor a fever phenomenon by RF in real time, and when a body temperature of the patient rises by a predetermined value or more It is possible to provide a user with a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of ensuring safe diagnosis by controlling the operation of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

In addition, the present invention can provide a user with an infrared camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of real-time monitoring of a patient's body temperature in preparation for a magnetic field resonance imaging apparatus of high magnetic field, have.

It should be understood, however, that the effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs It will be possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to provide a further understanding of the technical idea of the invention, It should not be construed as limited.
1 shows an example of a block diagram of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that can be applied to the present invention.
2 shows a structure in which a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus related to an example of the present invention is installed.
3 is a front view of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an example of the present invention.
4 shows an example of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a dual camera system.
5 shows an example of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a single camera system.
6 shows an example of a thermal image for an ACR phantom photographed using a thermal imaging camera according to the present invention.
7 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an example of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the embodiment described below does not unduly limit the contents of the present invention described in the claims, and the entire configuration described in this embodiment is not necessarily essential as the solution means of the present invention.

Continuous application of electromagnetic waves to the body for the generation of magnetic resonance signals can cause RF energy to be absorbed into the tissue and cause fever. If this heating is not controlled, it will cause cardiovascular and nervous system disorders and burns the skin. Particularly, when a metal material is inserted into the human body, heating by RF occurs rapidly, which is a limiting factor for MR imaging.

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of stably capturing a magnetic resonance image by monitoring a patient using a thermal imaging camera and monitoring the fever during a magnetic resonance imaging, Camera system and its control method.

Hereinafter, a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus proposed by the present invention will be described in detail.

1 shows an example of a block diagram of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that can be applied to the present invention. The thermal imaging camera system 10 for patient monitoring of the MRI apparatus of the present invention includes a camera unit 300, a power supply unit 400, an output unit 500, a communication unit 600, a storage unit 700, A control unit 900, a user input unit 1000, and the like. However, the components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, and a patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having components having more or fewer components may be implemented. Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The camera unit 300 processes an image frame such as a still image or a moving image obtained by photographing a patient to be diagnosed by the MRI apparatus. The image frame processed by the camera unit 300 may be stored in the storage unit 700 or may be transmitted to the outside through the communication unit 600. [ The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 510.

The camera used in the camera unit 300 may have two or more cameras depending on the use environment. For example, the camera unit 300 may include a surveillance camera 310, an infrared camera 320, and the like. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and may include a configuration including other shooting means.

The surveillance camera 310 photographs a patient located in the magnetic examination room inside the MRI apparatus and can monitor the patient's condition using the photographed image. The surveillance camera 310 can photograph an image using a camera equipped with a fisheye lens. The thermal imaging camera 320 can sense the body temperature of the patient located in the magnetic examination room inside the MRI apparatus. It is preferable that the surveillance camera 310 and the thermal imaging camera 320 are made of a non-magnetic material so as not to affect the patient's image acquisition process through the MR imaging device.

The surveillance camera 310 and the thermal imaging camera 320 can perform a pan, tilt, and zoom operation to photograph a patient, thereby moving up and down, left and right, So that it is possible to more accurately grasp the patient's condition and body temperature information during the diagnosis process.

Meanwhile, the power supply unit 400 receives external power and internal power under the control of the control unit 900 and supplies power required for operation of the respective components.

The output unit 500 may include a display unit 510, an audio output module 520, a warning unit 530, and the like.

The display unit 510 can display (output) information processed in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus. For example, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with the thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus. In addition, a still image or a moving image photographed by the camera unit 300, a video image transmitted / received through the communication unit 600, a UI, a GUI, and the like can be displayed.

In addition, the display unit 510 may function as an illumination light when using the thermal imaging camera system 10 for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention at night or in a dark space. The display unit 510 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) A flexible display, and a three-dimensional display (3D display).

The audio output module 520 may output audio data received from the communication unit 600 or stored in the storage unit 700. [ The sound output module 520 also outputs sound signals related to functions performed in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention. The sound output module 700 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The warning unit 530 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the thermal imaging camera system 10 for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention. An example of an event generated in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus is a case in which the body temperature of the patient detected by the thermal imaging camera 320 rises to a certain level or more. The warning unit 530 may output other types of information such as an alarm guide document, etc. in addition to an audio signal or a video signal. In this case, a printer for outputting a warning guide document may be connected. The display unit 510 and the sound output module 520 may be a kind of the warning unit 530. The display unit 510 and the sound output module 520 may be connected to the display unit 510 or the sound output module 520, .

Meanwhile, the communication unit 600 may be provided between the thermal imaging camera system 10 for patient monitoring and the wire / wireless communication system of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention, or between the thermal imaging camera system 10 for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, And one or more modules that enable communication between networks in which the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the resonance imaging device is located. For example, the communication unit 600 may include a wired / wireless Internet module 610, a short-range communication module 620, and the like.

The wired / wireless Internet module 610 is a module for wired / wireless Internet access, and can be built in or enclosed in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention. WLAN (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) , LTE (Long Term Evolution), or the like can be used.

The short-range communication module 620 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the technique of the short range communication.

The storage unit 700 may store a program for processing and controlling the controller 900 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., messages, audio, still images, For example. The storage unit 700 may also store the frequency of use of each of the data. In addition, the storage unit 700 may store data related to sounds of various patterns output from the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

The storage unit 700 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD A random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM) , A magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. The patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the storage unit 700 on the Internet.

On the other hand, the interface unit 800 serves as a pathway to all the external devices connected to the thermal imaging camera system 10 of the patient monitoring surveillance system of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The interface unit 800 receives data from an external device or receives power from the external device and transmits the received data to each component in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, So that the data in the thermal imaging camera system 10 is transmitted to the external device. For example, a port for connecting an image or an image photographed by the camera unit 300 to an external device, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, An audio I / O port, a video I / O port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 800.

On the other hand, the controller 900 typically controls the overall operation of the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus. For example, the control and processing related to the operation of the MRI apparatus according to the body temperature of the patient and the image capturing for monitoring the patient condition are performed. In addition, the control unit 900 may perform post-processing such as image quality improvement by performing signal processing on an image photographed by the camera unit 300. [

Meanwhile, the user generates input data for controlling the operation of the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the MRI apparatus through the user input unit 1000. The user input unit 1000 may receive a signal from a user designating two or more contents among the displayed contents according to the present invention. A signal for designating two or more contents may be received via the touch input, or may be received via the hard key and soft key input. The user input unit 1000 may receive an input from the user for selecting the one or more contents. The user input unit 1000 may include a directional keypad, a keypad, a dome switch, a touchpad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The various embodiments described herein may be implemented in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of a processor, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electronic units for performing other functions. In some cases, The embodiments described may be implemented by the controller 900 itself.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented in separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein. Software code may be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code is stored in the memory 700 and can be executed by the control unit 900. [

Hereinafter, a specific structure of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a structure in which a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed. FIG. Figure 3 shows a front view of a resonance imaging device.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the patient 2 is lying on the table apparatus 16 for magnetic resonance imaging, and the table apparatus 16 is supported by the table holder 18. The table device 16 for transferring the patient is moved to the magnetic testing room 14 formed inside the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 12 and the patient can be diagnosed in the magnetic testing room 14. [

The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 12 is provided therein with a magnetic examination chamber 14 and the table apparatus 16 is adjusted such that the patient 2 is positioned in the magnetic examination chamber 14 as described above. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 12 has a plurality of electromagnets and coils, so that a strong magnetic field can be generated in the magnetic examination chamber 14. It is possible to acquire accurate image information on the internal tissues of the body of the patient 2 non-invasively by the magnetic field generated in the magnetic examination chamber 14. [ The above process of using the magnetic field generated by the magnetic resonance imaging device 12 is obvious to a person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, so the detailed description will be omitted.

A plurality of camera units 300 may be installed in the patient monitoring thermal imaging camera system 10 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a structure in which three camera units 300a, 300b and 300c are installed. A part of the plurality of camera units 300 may be installed inside the magnetic examination room 14 of the MRI apparatus 12 and the first camera unit 300a may include a patient 2 located in the magnetic examination room 14 And the second camera unit 300b may be positioned above the foot portion of the patient 2 located in the magnetic examination chamber 14. [ The remaining third camera unit 300c of the plurality of camera units 300 may be installed on the wall surface of the room where the MRI apparatuses 12 are disposed.

The camera unit 300 can be installed as a dual camera system or a single camera system. 4 and 5 will be first described in order to examine a specific configuration of a dual camera system or a single camera system of the camera unit 300. FIG. FIG. 4 shows an example of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a dual camera system, and FIG. 5 shows an example of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a single camera system.

As shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 300 applicable to the present invention may be configured as a dual camera system, that is, a surveillance camera 310 and a thermal imaging camera 320. The monitoring camera 310 can monitor the condition of the patient 2 in real time by taking an image of the patient 2 diagnosed in the magnetic examination room 14 of the MRI apparatus 12. [ The thermal imaging camera 320 senses the body temperature of the patient 2 and observes the heat generated by the RF energy. The surveillance camera 310 and the thermal imaging camera 320 can perform pan and tilt operations, and can move left and right or up and down, perform a zoom operation, and can zoom in and zoom out.

The image of the patient 2 photographed by the monitoring camera 310 and the thermal image of the body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the thermal imaging camera 320 can be transmitted to the controller 900, The controller 900 can perform post processing such as image quality improvement by filtering images received from the monitoring camera 310 and the thermal imaging camera 320. [ The control unit 900 displays the image of the patient 2 photographed by the monitoring camera 310 and the thermal image of the body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the thermal imaging camera 320 on the display unit 510 and To the storage unit (700).

The display unit 510 may output the image of the monitoring camera 310 and the thermal image of the thermal imaging camera 320. The image of the monitoring camera 310 may be divided according to a user's request, It is also possible to output the thermal image of the thermal imaging camera 320 at the same time. The first switching unit 153 may control the switching of the screen output to the display unit 510.

In addition, the storage unit 700 can store the image of the monitoring camera 310 and the thermal image of the thermal imaging camera 320. The stored image information can be output through the display unit 510 when the user needs it, and the stored image information can be transmitted to the outside using the communication unit 600 or the removable memory.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 5, the camera unit 300, which can be applied to the present invention, may be composed of only one camera unit 300 as a single camera system. In this case, the camera unit 300 captures an image of the patient 2 diagnosed in the magnetic examination room 14 of the MRI apparatus 12 and monitors the state of the patient 2 in real time And may perform a second function of sensing the body temperature of the patient 2 and observing the heat generated by the RF energy. The camera unit 300 can perform a pan and tilt operation, and can move in left and right and up and down directions, perform a zoom operation, and can zoom in and zoom out.

The image of the patient 2 photographed by the first function of the camera unit 310 and the thermal image of the body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the second function can be transmitted to the controller 900, The image processing unit 900 may perform post processing such as image quality improvement by filtering the image received from the camera unit 300. The control unit 900 displays the image of the patient 2 photographed by the first function and the thermal image of the body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the second function on the display unit 510 and the storage unit 700, Lt; / RTI >

The display unit 510 can output the image of the first function of the camera unit 300 and the thermal image of the second function, respectively, and can divide the screen according to the user's request, It is also possible to simultaneously output the thermal image by the second function. And a second switching unit 152 for controlling the switching of the screen output to the display unit 510.

In addition, the storage unit 700 can store the image by the first function and the thermal image by the second function. The stored image information can be output through the display unit 510 when the user needs it, and the stored image information can be transmitted to the outside using the communication unit 600 or the removable memory.

The camera unit 300 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is located inside the magnetic examination room 14 of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 12, and thus is composed of a non-magnetic body. All cables to the outside of the laboratory use a fiber optic cable to minimize the effects of transmission signal loss and internal / external noise.

Meanwhile, FIG. 6 shows an example of a thermal image for an ACR phantom photographed using a thermal imaging camera according to the present invention. 6, the thermal image photographed using the thermal imaging camera 320 of the camera unit 300 according to the dual camera system or the second function of the camera unit 300 according to the single camera system may be used , The thermal image captured by the camera can display the temperature distribution of the ACR phantom. That is, since the colors displayed on the thermal image differ according to the temperature, the change in body temperature of the patient 2 can be easily observed, and safe diagnosis and treatment can be performed.

2 and 3, each of the first camera unit 300a, the second camera unit 300b and the third camera unit 300c includes a monitoring camera 310 and a thermal image sensor A camera 320, or a single camera unit 300 according to a single camera system.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling the thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of the MRI apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an example of the present invention.

First, the reference temperature is measured using the thermal imager 320 (S100). Here, the reference temperature represents the normal body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the thermal imaging camera 320 before diagnosis by the MRI apparatus 12. [ Here, the measured reference temperature serves as a reference for controlling the heat generated in the patient 2.

Next, the patient 2 is placed in the magnetic examination room 14 formed in the MRI apparatus 12 to diagnose the patient 2 (S200), and a magnetic field is generated in the magnetic examination room 12.

Next, the body temperature of the patient 2 is sensed using the thermal imaging camera 320 (S300). The thermal imaging camera 320 may be located in the magnetic examination room 14 inside the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 12 and may be installed on the wall surface of the room where the MRI apparatus 12 is disposed.

Next, it is determined whether the first condition related to the detected body temperature of the patient is satisfied (S400). Here, the first condition is a condition in which the body temperature of the patient 2 sensed by the thermal imaging camera 320 increases above a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more.

Next, if the first condition is satisfied, the control unit 900 controls the operation of the MRI apparatus 12 to be interrupted (S500). Thus, the body temperature of the patient 2 rises too high

As described above, according to the thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring and the control method thereof, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention can acquire magnetic resonance images safely and conveniently and utilize them for diagnosis and treatment. Since thermoregulation is a very important part in the safety of patients during magnetic resonance imaging, real - time temperature monitoring through thermal cameras and surveillance cameras enables safe and convenient magnetic resonance imaging. Especially, high magnetic field has been researched and developed and real-time thermal image monitoring is very important because the heat generated by RF must be managed in real time during shooting.

In addition, since high magnetic fields can be widely disseminated in magnetic resonance imaging devices in real time, real-time patient temperature monitoring is expected to be used in all clinical institutions. In particular, real-time temperature monitoring by radiographic cameras and modules between shots is expected to be widely used to prevent damage from metallic substances and clinical monitoring of the development of new imaging techniques.

The present invention can also be embodied as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording apparatuses in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and the like, and may be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission via the Internet) . The computer readable recording medium may also be distributed over a networked computer system so that computer readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner. In addition, functional programs, codes, and code segments for implementing the present invention can be easily inferred by programmers of the technical field to which the present invention belongs.

It should be understood that the above-described apparatus and method are not limited to the configuration and method of the embodiments described above, but the embodiments may be modified so that all or some of the embodiments are selectively combined .

2: Patient
10: Thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of MRI
12: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Device
14: Magnetic test room
300:
310: Surveillance camera
320: Thermal Imager
510:
700:
900:

Claims (15)

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for generating a magnetic field in a magnetic examination room formed inside the subject and diagnosing a patient located in the magnetic examination room using the magnetic field;
A plurality of camera units; And
And a control unit,
Wherein each of the plurality of camera units comprises:
A monitoring camera for photographing the patient and monitoring the condition of the patient; And
And an infrared camera for sensing a body temperature of the patient,
Wherein the control unit controls the operation of the MRI apparatus to be interrupted when the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera rises above a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more,
Wherein the reference temperature is a normal body temperature of the patient sensed using the thermal imaging camera before diagnosis by the MRI imaging device. The method according to claim 1,
The surveillance camera and the thermal imaging camera may further include:
Wherein at least one of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom operation is capable of performing the operation of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of camera units comprises:
Wherein the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is installed on a wall surface of a room in which the MRI apparatus is disposed. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of camera units comprises:
Wherein the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is installed in a magnetic examination room of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. 5. The method of claim 4,
And a camera unit installed in the magnetic examination room among the plurality of camera units,
Wherein the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is installed adjacent to at least one of a head portion of the patient and a foot portion of the patient located in the magnetic examination room. The method according to claim 1,
The surveillance camera and the thermal imaging camera may further include:
Magnetic body, and the non-magnetic body. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising: a display unit for outputting at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the monitoring camera and the thermal image related to the temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera, Thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of imaging devices. The method according to claim 1,
And a storage unit for storing at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the monitoring camera and the thermal image related to the temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera, Thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of resonance imaging device. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus for generating a magnetic field in a magnetic examination room formed inside the subject and diagnosing a patient located in the magnetic examination room using the magnetic field;
A camera unit for performing a first function and a second function; And
And a control unit,
Wherein the first function is a function of monitoring the state of the patient by photographing the patient and the second function is a function of detecting a body temperature of the patient,
When the temperature of the patient sensed by the second function of the camera unit rises above a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more, the control unit controls the operation of the MRI apparatus to be interrupted,
Wherein the reference temperature is a normal body temperature of the patient sensed using the second function of the camera unit before diagnosis by the MRI apparatus. 10. The method of claim 9,
The camera unit includes:
Wherein at least one of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom operation is capable of performing the operation of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. 10. The method of claim 9,
And a display unit for outputting at least one of a first image and a second image,
Wherein the first image is the image of the patient photographed by the first function of the camera unit,
Wherein the second image is a thermographic image related to a temperature of the patient sensed by the second function of the camera unit. 12. The method of claim 11,
Further comprising switching means for switching between the first image and the second image output from the display unit. 10. The method of claim 9,
And a storage unit for storing at least one of the image of the patient photographed by the first function of the camera unit and the thermal image related to the temperature of the patient sensed by the second function of the camera unit Wherein the thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is configured as follows. Measuring a reference temperature;
Placing the patient in a magnetic testing room formed inside a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus to diagnose a patient and generating a magnetic field in the magnetic testing room;
Detecting a body temperature of the patient by an infrared camera;
Satisfying a first condition related to the detected body temperature of the patient; And
And controlling the operation of the MRI apparatus to stop if the first condition is satisfied,
Wherein the first condition is a condition in which the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera is higher than the reference temperature by a predetermined value or more,
Wherein the reference temperature is a normal body temperature of the patient sensed using the thermal imaging camera. A program of instructions executable by a digital processing device to perform a method of controlling a thermal imaging camera system of a patient monitoring system of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is tangibly embodied and the recording medium readable by the digital processing apparatus In this case,
A method for controlling a thermal imaging camera system for patient monitoring of the MRI apparatus,
Measuring a reference temperature;
Placing the patient in a magnetic testing room formed inside a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus to diagnose a patient and generating a magnetic field in the magnetic testing room;
Detecting a body temperature of the patient by an infrared camera;
Satisfying a first condition related to the detected body temperature of the patient; And
And controlling the operation of the MRI apparatus to stop if the first condition is satisfied,
Wherein the first condition is a condition in which the body temperature of the patient sensed by the thermal imaging camera is higher than a reference temperature by a predetermined value or more,
Wherein the reference temperature is a normal body temperature of the patient sensed using the thermal imaging camera.

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