MRI compatible air management system

An air caddy operable within an MRI room and adjacent an MRI apparatus in the MRI room, the caddy being configured for permitting continuous contact with a floor of the MRI room and movement along the floor of the MRI room, the caddy comprising:

• a base portion having at least one wheel positioned to selectively permit movement of the caddy relative to a floor, the base portion being movable between a mobile orientation in which the at least one wheel facilitates the movement of the caddy relative to the floor and a stationary orientation in which the at least one wheel is prevented from facilitating the movement of the caddy relative to the floor, the at least one wheel being mounted to rotate about an axis that is fixed in position relative to the base portion of the caddy;
• and
• an electric blower coupled to the base portion of the caddy and fixed to prevent movement of the electric blower relative to the caddy, the electric blower being configured to move air when the base portion is in the stationary orientation, and the relative position of the blower to the MRI apparatus in the MRI room does not change when the blower moves air and when the base portion is in the stationary orientation, the electric blower being mounted such that the electric blower remains within a weaker portion of a magnetic field generated by the MRI apparatus in the MRI room, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower;
• wherein the caddy is MR Compatible with a maximum magnetic attraction force less than or equal to 50 lbs force;
• and
• wherein the caddy is positionable adjacent the MRI apparatus within the MRI room and the magnetic field of the MRI apparatus does not interfere with the operation of the electric blower when the caddy is positioned adjacent the MRI apparatus, such that the electric blower operates while adjacent the MRI apparatus and while the magnetic field is generated by the MRI apparatus;
• wherein a distance from the axis to at least one floor-contacting surface of the base portion is greater than a distance from the axis to a floor-contacting surface of the at least one wheel.

An air caddy operable within an MRI room and adjacent an MRI apparatus in the MRI room, the caddy being configured for permitting continuous contact with a floor of the MRI room and movement along the floor of the MRI room, the caddy comprising:

• a base portion having at least one wheel positioned to selectively permit movement of the caddy relative to a floor, the base portion being movable between a mobile orientation in which the at least one wheel facilitates the movement of the caddy relative to the floor and a stationary orientation in which the at least one wheel is prevented from facilitating the movement of the caddy relative to the floor, the at least one wheel being mounted to rotate about an axis that is fixed in position relative to the base portion of the caddy;
• and
• an electric blower coupled to the base portion of the caddy and fixed to prevent movement of the electric blower relative to the caddy, the electric blower being configured to move air when the base portion is in the stationary orientation, and the relative position of the blower to the MRI apparatus in the MRI room does not change when the blower moves air and when the base portion is in the stationary orientation, the electric blower being mounted such that the electric blower remains within a weaker portion of a magnetic field generated by the MRI apparatus in the MRI room, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower;
• wherein the caddy is MR Compatible with a maximum magnetic attraction force less than or equal to 50 lbs force;
• and
• wherein the caddy is positionable adjacent the MRI apparatus within the MRI room and the magnetic field of the MRI apparatus does not interfere with the operation of the electric blower when the caddy is positioned adjacent the MRI apparatus, such that the electric blower operates while adjacent the MRI apparatus and while the magnetic field is generated by the MRI apparatus,
• wherein the center of mass of the caddy is positioned relatively forward relative to the axis toward a front of the caddy in the stationary orientation, and wherein the center of mass is positioned relatively over the axis in the mobile orientation.

A method of moving a patient relative to a bore of an MRI device using a patient transfer device, the method comprising:

• positioning a caddy proximate to the bore of the MRI device, the caddy being MR Compatible with a maximum magnetic attraction force less than or equal to 50 lbs force and including:
• a base portion configured for movement relative to a floor,
• at least one wheel coupled to the base portion and positioned for movement of the base portion relative to the floor, and
• an electric blower, the electric blower being mounted such that the electric blower remains within a weaker portion of a magnetic field generated by the bore of the MRI device, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower,
• a battery for powering the electric blower, wherein at least one of the battery and the electric blower is located within a central region of the base portion, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower, and
• a supplemental mass mounted to the caddy and configured to both prevent the caddy from leaving the continuous contact with the floor of the MRI room in response to a magnetic force of attraction generated by the MRI apparatus and to maintain the center of gravity such that the caddy is biased to move toward the stationary orientation from the mobile orientation, the supplemental mass also being integrally formed with the base portion, the electric blower, or a frame of the caddy as a single body of unitary construction;
• moving the base portion from a mobile orientation in which the at least one wheel facilitates the movement of the caddy relative to the floor to a stationary orientation in which the at least one wheel is prevented from facilitating the movement of the caddy relative to the floor;
• and
• actuating the electric blower to move air to the patient transfer device, thereby moving air to or from the patient transfer device to facilitate movement of the patient, the electric blower operating while adjacent the bore of the MRI device and while the magnetic field is being generated by the bore of the MRI device;
• and
• moving the patient and the patient transfer device relative to the bore of the MRI device.

A method of moving a patient relative to a bore of an MRI device using a patient transfer device, the method comprising:

• positioning a caddy proximate to the bore of the MRI device, the caddy being MR Compatible with a maximum magnetic attraction force less than or equal to 50 lbs force and including:
• a base portion configured for movement relative to a floor,
• at least one wheel coupled to the base portion and positioned for movement of the base portion relative to the floor, the at least one wheel being mounted to rotate about an axis that is fixed in position relative to the base portion, and
• an electric blower, the electric blower being mounted such that the electric blower remains within a weaker portion of a magnetic field generated by the bore of the MRI device, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower,
• wherein a distance from the axis to the at least one floor-contacting surface of the base portion is greater than a distance from the axis to a floor-contacting surface of the at least one wheel;
• and
• moving the base portion from a mobile orientation in which the at least one wheel facilitates the movement of the caddy relative to the floor to a stationary orientation in which the at least one wheel is prevented from facilitating the movement of the caddy relative to the floor;
• actuating the electric blower to move air to the patient transfer device, thereby moving air to or from the patient transfer device to facilitate movement of the patient, the electric blower operating while adjacent the bore of the MRI device and while the magnetic field is being generated by the bore of the MRI device;
• and
• moving the patient and the patient transfer device relative to the bore of the MRI device.

A method of moving a patient relative to a bore of an MRI device using a patient transfer device, the method comprising:

• positioning a caddy proximate to the bore of the MRI device, the caddy being MR Compatible with a maximum magnetic attraction force less than or equal to 50 lbs force and including:
• a base portion configured for movement relative to a floor,
• at least one wheel coupled to the base portion and positioned for movement of the base portion relative to the floor, and
• an electric blower, the electric blower being mounted such that the electric blower remains within a weaker portion of a magnetic field generated by the bore of the MRI device, thereby reducing the effect of the magnetic field on the operation of the electric blower during use of the electric blower,
• the at least one wheel being mounted to rotate about an axis that is fixed in position relative to the base portion of the caddy, and
• wherein the center of mass of the caddy is positioned relatively forward relative to the axis toward a front of the caddy in the stationary orientation, and wherein the center of mass is positioned relatively over the axis in the mobile orientation;
• and
• moving the base portion from a mobile orientation in which the at least one wheel facilitates the movement of the caddy relative to the floor to a stationary orientation in which the at least one wheel is prevented from facilitating the movement of the caddy relative to the floor;
• actuating the electric blower to move air to the patient transfer device, thereby moving air to or from the patient transfer device to facilitate movement of the patient, the electric blower operating while adjacent the bore of the MRI device and while the magnetic field is being generated by the bore of the MRI device;
• and
• moving the patient and the patient transfer device relative to the bore of the MRI device.