Imaging apparatus, local coil and method for correcting a patient movement

An imaging apparatus for acquiring image data from a diagnostically-relevant body region of a patient, comprising:

• a sensor configured to output a signal containing information on a movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient, the sensor being a non-imaging sensor, and the signal being based upon the movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient;
• and
• correction circuitry configured to apply a correction technique based upon on the signal received from the sensor to reduce an influence of the movement of the diagnostically-relevant both region of the patient on an imaging examination, wherein:
• the sensor comprises a flexible sensor element positioned according to an application on the diagnostically relevant body region of the patient, the sensor being configured to be deformed as a result of movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient,
• the imaging apparatus is configured to ascertain the movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient via the sensor based upon a deformation of the flexible sensor element,
• the flexible sensor element is positioned according to an application on a dental arch of the patient, the flexible sensor element being configured to be deformed as a result of a movement of a lower jaw of the patient, and
• the imaging apparatus is configured to ascertain movement of the lower jaw via the sensor based upon the deformation of the flexible sensor element.

A method for correcting a patient movement during an imaging examination via an imaging apparatus with at least one sensor and correction circuitry, the method comprising:

• outputting, via the at least one sensor, a signal containing information on movement of a diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient, the at least one sensor comprising a non-imaging sensor;
• positioning the patient in an image recording region of the imaging apparatus;
• performing the imaging examination for acquiring image data from the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient;
• acquiring the signal from the at least one sensor;
• and
• performing a correction technique via the correction circuitry based upon the signal acquired from the at least one sensor to reduce an influence of the movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient on the imaging examination,
• wherein the imaging apparatus is a magnetic resonance imaging system with a local coil, and
• wherein the signal from the at least one sensor is modulated onto a magnetic resonance signal acquired via the local coil.

A method for correcting a patient movement during an imaging examination via an imaging apparatus with at least one sensor and correction circuitry, the method comprising:

• outputting, via the at least one sensor, a signal containing information on movement of a diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient, the at least one sensor comprising a non-imaging sensor;
• positioning the patient in an image recording region of the imaging apparatus;
• performing the imaging examination for acquiring image data from the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient;
• acquiring the signal from the at least one sensor;
• performing, a correction technique via the correction circuitry based upon the signal acquired from the at least one sensor to reduce an influence of the movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient on the imaging examination;
• positioning a local coil on a jaw region of the patient, the local coil including a plurality of antenna elements, wherein:
• a first antenna element from among the plurality of antenna elements is positioned on an upper dental arch of the patient, and a second antenna element from among the plurality of antenna elements is positioned on a lower dental arch of the patient,
• the performing the imaging examination comprises:
• receiving magnetic resonance signals from the lower dental arch and the upper dental arch via the plurality of antenna elements, and
• the performing the correction technique comprises performing motion gating, magnetic resonance signals from the lower dental arch and/or the upper dental arch are acquired based upon the at least one sensor via the local coil;
• reconstructing individual images of the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch of the patient based upon the received magnetic resonance signals from the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch;
• and
• merging the individual images of the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch to form one image in an image space.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of an imaging apparatus that includes at least one sensor and correction circuitry, cause the imaging apparatus to correct for a patient movement during an imaging examination via the imaging apparatus by:

• outputting, via the at least one sensor, a signal containing information on movement of a diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient, the at least one sensor comprising a non-imaging sensor;
• positioning the patient in an image recording region of the imaging apparatus;
• performing the imaging examination for acquiring image data from the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient;
• acquiring the signal from the at least one sensor;
• and
• performing a correction technique via the correction circuitry based upon the signal acquired from the at least one sensor to reduce an influence of the movement of the diagnostically-relevant body region of the patient on the imaging examination, wherein the imaging apparatus is a magnetic resonance imaging system with a local coil, and
• wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the imaging apparatus, further cause the imaging apparatus to correct for the patient movement by modulating the signal from the at least one sensor onto a magnetic resonance signal acquired via the local coil.