# US 12,758,452 B2 · Advanced MRI incubator hybrid system for safe infant imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,452 B2 - Document ID: US12758452B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/862,762 - Filed: 2022-05-20 - Published: 2025-09-18 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-20 - Assignees: Advanced Imaging Research, Inc. - Applicants: Advanced Imaging Research, Inc. - Inventors: Ravi Srinivasan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758452B2 ## CPC - A61G 11/007: {by translating} - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61B 5/704: {Tables} - A61G 11/001: {with height-adjustable elements} - A61B 2503/045: Newborns, e.g. premature baby monitoring - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An incubator includes a patient compartment, a support structure, a patient table coupled to the support structure, an RF coil selectively coupled to the support structure, the RF coil including a receiver arranged along a peripheral edge of the RF coil, and a hood selectively coupled to one of the support structure or the patient table and configured to engage the receiver. When the hood is engaged with the receiver a volume of the hood and a volume of the RF coil merge together. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An incubator of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system including a patient compartment, comprising: a support structure; a patient table connected to the support structure; a radiofrequency (RF) coil selectively coupled to the support structure, the RF coil including a receiver arranged along a peripheral edge of the RF coil; and a hood selectively coupled to one of the support structure or the patient table and configured to engage the receiver, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver a volume of the hood and a volume of the RF coil merge together; wherein the MRI system is configured to generate acoustic noise from a noise source during operation, the noise source being exterior of the patient compartment; wherein the receiver defines a bounded passage extending between an exterior of the patient compartment and an interior of the patient compartment, the passage including: an entrance port opening from the exterior of the patient compartment into the receiver; a first passage segment extending from the entrance port in a first direction; a first reflective surface at an end of the first passage segment, the first reflective surface being orthogonal to the first passage segment; a second passage segment joined to the first passage segment and extending in a second direction oriented at a right angle relative to the first direction; a second reflective surface at an end of the second segment, the second reflective surface being orthogonal to the second passage segment; a third passage segment joined to the second passage segment and extending in a third direction oriented at a right angle relative to the second direction; and an exit port opening from the third passage segment into the interior of the patient compartment; wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are orthogonal to one another, and the first passage segment, the second passage segment, the first reflective surface, and the second reflective surface are structurally arranged such that acoustic waves entering through the entrance port and propagating along the first passage segment strike the first reflective surface, with a first portion of the acoustic waves reflected back toward the entrance port, and a second portion of the acoustic waves passing into the second passage segment and striking the second reflective surface, the second reflective surface reflecting the second portion back toward the first passage segment and away from the exit port; whereby, by virtue of the structural arrangement, acoustic energy at the exit port is reduced relative to acoustic energy entering through the entrance port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the RF coil is movably coupled to the support structure or the hood is movably coupled to the support structure or the patient table. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the RF coil and the hood define an inner surface of the patient compartment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the RF coil forms part of an external superior incubator section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, further comprising a height-adjusting device configured to adjust an elevation of the hood relative to the patient table. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a groove formed along an outer peripheral edge of the RF coil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, further comprising a heater fluidically coupled to the patient compartment and operative to provide heated air into the patient compartment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, further comprising an anterior cardiac/body RF coil arranged over the patient table, the cardiac/body RF coil movable relative to the patient table in elevation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, the RF coil forms an exterior surface of the incubator and an interior surface of the patient compartment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the entrance port and the exit port are laterally offset from one another such that acoustic waves entering through the entrance port traverse the orthogonal path segments before reaching the exit port. ### Claim 11 An incubator of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system including a patient compartment, comprising: a support structure; a patient table coupled to the support structure; a radiofrequency (RF) coil selectively coupled to the support structure, the RF coil including a receiver arranged along a peripheral edge of the RF coil; and a hood selectively coupled to one of the support structure or the patient table and configured to engage the receiver, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, an exterior surface of the patient compartment is defined by both the hood and the RF coil; wherein the MRI system is configured to generate acoustic noise from a noise source during operation, the noise source being exterior of the patient compartment; wherein the receiver defines a bounded passage extending between an exterior of the patient compartment and an interior of the patient compartment, the passage including: an entrance port opening from the exterior of the patient compartment into the receiver; a first passage segment extending from the entrance port in a first direction; a first reflective surface at an end of the first passage segment, the first reflective surface being orthogonal to the first passage segment; a second passage segment joined to the first passage segment and extending in a second direction oriented at a right angle relative to the first direction; a second reflective surface at an end of the second passage segment, the second reflective surface being orthogonal to the second passage segment; a third passage segment joined to the second passage segment and extending in a third direction oriented at a right angle relative to the second direction; and an exit port opening from the third passage segment into the interior of the patient compartment; wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are orthogonal to one another, and the first passage segment, the second passage segment, the first reflective surface, and the second reflective surface are structurally arranged such that acoustic waves entering through the entrance port and propagating along the first passage segment strike the first reflective surface, with a first portion of the acoustic waves reflected back toward the entrance port, and a second portion of the acoustic waves passing into the second passage segment and striking the second reflective surface, the second reflective surface reflecting the second portion back toward the first passage segment and away from the exit port; whereby, by virtue of the structural arrangement, acoustic energy at the exit port is reduced relative to acoustic energy entering through the entrance port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, wherein the RF coil and the hood define an inner surface of the patient compartment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, wherein the RF coil forms part of an external superior incubator section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, further comprising a height-adjusting device configured to adjust an elevation of the hood relative to the patient table. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, wherein the receiver comprises a groove formed along an outer peripheral edge of the RF coil. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, wherein the receiver comprises at least two right-angled surfaces that present at least three right-angled paths into and out of the patient compartment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The incubator according to claim 11, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, the RF coil forms an exterior surface of the incubator and an interior surface of the patient compartment. ### Claim 18 An incubator of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system including a patient compartment, comprising a support structure; a patient table coupled to the support structure; a radiofrequency (RF) coil selectively coupled to the support structure, the RF coil including a receiver arranged along a peripheral edge of the RF coil; and a hood selectively coupled to one of the support structure or the patient table and configured to engage the receiver, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, the RF coil forms an exterior surface of the incubator and an interior surface of the patient compartment; wherein the MRI system is configured to generate acoustic noise from a noise source during operation, the noise source being exterior of the patient compartment; wherein the receiver defines a bounded passage extending between an exterior of the patient compartment and an interior of the patient compartment, the passage including: an entrance port opening from the exterior of the patient compartment into the receiver; a first passage segment extending from the entrance port in a first direction; a first reflective surface at an end of the first passage segment, the first reflective surface being orthogonal to the first passage segment; a second passage segment joined to the first passage segment and extending in a second direction oriented at a right angle relative to the first direction; a second reflective surface at an end of the second passage segment, the second reflective surface being orthogonal to the second passage segment; a third passage segment joined to the second passage segment and extending in a third direction oriented at a right angle relative to the second direction; and an exit port opening from the third passage segment into the interior of the patient compartment; wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are orthogonal to one another, and the first passage segment, the second passage segment, the first reflective surface, and the second reflective surface are structurally arranged such that acoustic waves entering through the entrance port and propagating along the first passage segment strike the first reflective surface, with a first portion of the acoustic waves reflected back toward the entrance port, and a second portion of the acoustic waves passing into the second passage segment and striking the second reflective surface, the second reflective surface reflecting the second portion back toward the first passage segment and away from the exit port; whereby, by virtue of the structural arrangement, acoustic energy at the exit port is reduced relative to acoustic energy entering through the entrance port. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The incubator according to claim 18, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, an exterior surface of the patient compartment is defined by both the hood and the RF coil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The incubator according to claim 18, wherein when the hood is engaged with the receiver, the RF coil forms an exterior surface of the incubator and an interior surface of the patient compartment.