# US 10,765,341 B2 · Feet positioning system for magnetic resonance imaging studies

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- Number: US 10,765,341 B2
- Document ID: US10765341B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/900,244
- Filed: 2014-06-23
- Published: 2016-06-09
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2013-06-24
- Assignees: Centro de Ingenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia
- Applicants: Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología
- Inventors: Carlos Alberto Cabal Mirabal; Evelio Rafael González Dalmau; Luis Manuel Flores Díaz; Jorge Amador Berlanga Acosta; Luis Saturnino Herrera Martinez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765341B2

## CPC

- A61B 90/39: {Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers}
- A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
- A61B 5/6829: {Foot or ankle}
- A61B 5/702: {Posture restraints}
- A61B 5/706: {Indicia not located on the patient, e.g. floor marking}
- A61B 2090/363: {Use of fiducial points}
- A61B 2090/3954: {magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI}
- A61G 13/1245: {Knees, upper or lower legs}
- A61G 13/125: {Ankles or feet}
- A61N 2005/1055: {using magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]}
- A61N 2005/1097: {Means for immobilizing the patient}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

The present invention is related to a system and method to ensure the reproducibility of the position of the feet and lower parts of the legs during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, and to obtain robust quantitative information through the time. The system includes a device that is inserted into the radiofrequency coils of any MRI equipment. The device includes a foot support section, a leg support section and a base adapted to allow that the abovementioned sections be fixed in it. With this device and method, and through external and internal markers, quantitative studies of the evolution of pathophysiological phenomena that affect the anatomy and physiology of the feet and lower parts of the legs are performed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to control the orientation of a foot of an individual during a MRI scanning process, the system comprising a foot positioning device, wherein said foot positioning device comprises:
(a) a foot support section that includes:
1. a foot support surface to situate said foot of said individual in a fixed position relative to the foot positioning device; wherein said foot support surface comprises at least two image marker elements that are visible when MRI images are recorded;
2. an arch for a heel adapted to be positioned behind the heel of the individual and sliding regarding said foot support surface;
3. means to fix the foot of the individual on said foot support surface during the scanning process;
(b) a leg support section including:
1. a leg support to situate a leg of said individual in a fixed position regarding the foot positioning device;
2. means to fix said leg of the individual to said leg support during the scanning process;
(c) a foot positioning device base adapted to allow that the foot support surface and the leg support section be fixed in said base and positioned on a scanning bed; wherein said foot positioning device is adapted to be inserted into a radiofrequency (RF) coil of the MRI system for scanning in a reproducible position regarding an axis of a static magnetic field of said MRI system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said foot positioning device base is adapted to allow that said foot support section could be placed in a series of fixed positions indicated on a scale regarding said foot positioning device base.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two image marker elements are located in parallel to said foot support surface and define a plane of a magnetic resonance image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said foot positioning device comprises material not visible under visualization of magnetic resonance images.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system according to claim 4, wherein said material is polyvinyl chloride.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said foot positioning device comprises an additional foot support surface, an additional arch for an additional heel, and an additional leg support, wherein said additional foot support surface, additional arch, and an additional leg support are positioned on the foot positioning device base.

### Claim 7

A method to control the orientation of a foot of an individual regarding a magnetic resonance imaging system during a magnetic resonance imaging scanning process, the method comprising:
(a) situating a foot positioning device in a fixed and reproducible position in a radiofrequency coil of the magnetic resonance imaging system;
(b) locating the foot of the individual in the foot positioning device while the foot positioning device is in said fixed and reproducible position with regard to image marker elements;
(c) recording first images of magnetic resonance imaging to check correct foot positioning;
(d) optionally correcting the foot positioning regarding the image marker elements and the foot positioning device in the magnetic resonance imaging system; and
optionally
(e) recording second magnetic resonance images;
wherein said foot positioning device is a device comprising:
a foot support section that includes a foot support surface to situate said foot of said individual in a fixed position relative to the foot positioning device; wherein said foot support surface comprises said image marker elements, wherein said image marker elements are visible when magnetic resonance imaging images are recorded; an arch for a heel adapted to be positioned behind the heel of the individual and sliding regarding said foot support surface; means to fix the foot of the individual on said foot support surface during the scanning process; a leg support section including a leg support to situate a leg of said individual in a fixed position regarding the foot positioning device; means to fix said leg of the individual to said leg support during the scanning process; a foot positioning device base adapted to allow that the foot support surface and the leg support section be fixed in said base and positioned on a scanning bed; wherein said foot positioning device is adapted to be inserted into a radiofrequency (RF) coil of a magnetic resonance imaging system for scanning in a reproducible position regarding an axis of a static magnetic field of said magnetic resonance imaging system.