# US 11,298,042 B2 · Methods and apparatus for patient positioning in magnetic resonance imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,042 B2 - Document ID: US11298042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/554,505 - Filed: 2019-08-28 - Published: 2020-02-20 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-19 - Assignees: Hyperfine Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Hyperfine Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Anne Michele Nelson; Christopher Thomas McNulty; Jeremy Christopher Jordan; Michael Stephen Poole - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298042B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/704: {Tables} - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61B 5/702: {Posture restraints} - A61B 90/14: Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins - G01R 33/307: {specially adapted for moving the sample relative to the MR system, e.g. spinning mechanisms, flow cells or means for positioning the sample inside a spectrometer} - G01R 33/34007: {Manufacture of RF coils, e.g. using printed circuit board technology; additional hardware for providing mechanical support to the RF coil assembly or to part thereof, e.g. a support for moving the coil assembly relative to the remainder of the MR system} - G01R 33/34084: {implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts} - G01R 33/445: {MR involving a non-standard magnetic field B0, e.g. of low magnitude as in the earth's magnetic field or in nanoTesla spectroscopy, comprising a polarizing magnetic field for pre-polarisation, B0 with a temporal variation of its magnitude or direction such as field cycling of B0 or rotation of the direction of B0, or spatially inhomogeneous B0 like in fringe-field MR or in stray-field imaging} - A61B 5/70: {Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means} - A61B 6/04: Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like - G01R 33/3802: {Manufacture or installation of magnet assemblies; Additional hardware for transportation or installation of the magnet assembly or for providing mechanical support to components of the magnet assembly} - G01R 33/3806: {Open magnet assemblies for improved access to the sample, e.g. C-type or U-type magnets} - G01R 33/422: of the radio frequency field - G01R 33/4833: {using spatially selective excitation of the volume of interest, e.g. selecting non-orthogonal or inclined slices} - G01R 33/543: {Control of the operation of the MR system, e.g. setting of acquisition parameters prior to or during MR data acquisition, dynamic shimming, use of one or more scout images for scan plane prescription (G01R33/546 takes precedence)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract According to some aspects, a magnetic resonance imaging system capable of imaging a patient is provided. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprising at least one B0 magnet to produce a magnetic field to contribute to a B0 magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system and a member configured to engage with a releasable securing mechanism of a radio frequency coil apparatus, the member attached to the magnetic resonance imaging system at a location so that, when the member is engaged with the releasable securing mechanism of the radio frequency coil apparatus, the radio frequency coil apparatus is secured to the magnetic resonance imaging system substantially within an imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A patient handling apparatus configured to facilitate positioning a patient within a magnetic resonance imaging device, the patient handling apparatus comprising: a patient support having a surface adapted to be positioned between the patient and a bed so that, when positioned, the surface of the patient support is underneath at least a portion of the patient's body; and a securing portion comprising: at least one first releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with a radio frequency component to secure the radio frequency component to the securing portion; and at least one second releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with the magnetic resonance imaging device to secure the securing portion to the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bridge component configured to bridge at least some space between the bed and the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The patient handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bridge component provides support for at least a portion of the patient support when the patient is positioned within the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The patient handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bridge component is mountable to the bed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The patient handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bridge component is mountable to the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The patient handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bridge component comprises a plastic surface to bridge at least some of the space between the bed and the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support is configured to be folded. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The patient handling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the patient support is configured to be folded along a living hinge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The patient handling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the patient support is configured to be folded along a piano hinge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first releasable securing mechanism comprises: a slot; and a retention mechanism configured to resist movement of a portion of the radio frequency component when the portion is inserted into the slot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The patient handling apparatus of claim 10, wherein the slot comprises a keyhole slot comprising: a first portion sized to allow the portion of the radio frequency component to be inserted into the keyhole slot in a first direction along a first axis and to allow the portion of the radio frequency component to be removed from the keyhole slot in a second direction opposite the first direction along the first axis; and a second portion sized to prevent movement of the portion of the radio frequency component at least in the second direction along the first axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The patient handling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the keyhole slot is configured to allow the portion of the radio frequency component to be moved from the first portion of the keyhole slot to the second portion of the keyhole slot in a first direction along a second axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The patient handling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the retention mechanism is configured to resist movement of the portion of the radio frequency component at least in a second direction along the second axis when the portion of the radio frequency component is moved into the second portion of the keyhole slot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The patient handling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a spring snap that allows the portion of the radio frequency component to be moved from the first portion of the keyhole slot into the second portion of the keyhole slot in the first direction along the second axis and resists movement of the portion of the radio frequency component in the second direction along the second axis when the portion of the radio frequency component has been moved into the second portion of the keyhole slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The patient handling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the spring snap comprises a plastic spring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The patient handling apparatus of claim 14, wherein a height of the spring snap is less than or equal to approximately 0.5 inches. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the height of the spring snap is less than or equal to approximately 0.25 inches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one second releasable securing mechanism comprises: a retention mechanism having a lead-in portion that allows the second releasable securing mechanism to engage a member of the magnetic resonance imaging device in a first direction along a first axis and a retention portion that prevents movement of the patient support relative to the magnetic resonance imaging device at least in a second direction along the first axis when the at least one second releasable securing mechanism engages the member of the magnetic resonance imaging system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The patient handling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the member is attached to the magnetic resonance imaging device at a location such that, when the at least one securing mechanism engages with the member, the radio frequency component is positioned within the imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The patient handling apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one second releasable securing mechanism comprises a release mechanism that, when actuated, moves the retention portion to allow the at least one second releasable securing mechanism to disengage from the member of the magnetic resonance imaging system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The patient handling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one spring. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The patient handling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one pull portion to allow a user to pull on the release mechanism to compress the at least one spring and move the retention portion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The patient handling apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one spring comprises at least one plastic spring. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The patient handling apparatus of claim 21, wherein a height of the at least one spring is less than or equal to approximately 0.5 inches. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The patient handling apparatus of claim 21, wherein a height of the at least one spring is less than or equal to approximately 0.25 inches. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support comprises molded plastic. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The patient handling apparatus of claim 26, wherein the patient support comprises polyethylene. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The patient handling apparatus of claim 26, wherein the patient support comprises polypropylene. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support facilitates positioning a portion of the patent's anatomy within the magnetic resonance imaging system from a standard medical bed. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The patient handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support is sized to support a substantial portion of the patient's body. ### Claim 31 A method, comprising: releasably securing a support to a magnetic resonance imaging device so as to facilitate magnetic resonance imaging of a patient, the support disposed between the patient and a standard medical bed, wherein the standard medical bed comprises at least some ferromagnetic material.