High field open MRI magnet isolation system and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsYu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Abstract
A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.
Claims38
An open MRI system comprising:
- an open MRI magnet system;
- and
- a vibration isolation system adapted to support the MRI magnet system.
An open MRI system comprising:
- (a) a first assembly comprising:
- (1) a longitudinally-extending and generally-vertically-aligned first axis;
- (2) at least one superconductive main coil positioned around said first axis and carrying a first main electric current in a first direction;
- and
- (3) a first vacuum enclosure enclosing said at least one superconductive main coil of said first assembly;
- (b) a second assembly longitudinally spaced apart from and disposed below said first assembly, comprising:
- (1) a longitudinally-extending second axis generally coaxially aligned with said first axis;
- (2) at least one superconductive main coil positioned around said second axis and carrying a second main electric current in said first direction;
- and
- (3) a second vacuum enclosure enclosing said at least one superconductive main coil of second assembly;
- (c) at least one support beam external to said first and second vacuum enclosure having a first end attached to said first assembly and having a second end attached to said second assembly;
- and
- (d) a vibration isolation system.
The method of installing an open MRI system, comprising:
- providing the open MRI system which comprises a vibration isolation system and an open magnet system;
- measuring environmental disturbances and vibrations at a first site;
- selecting the vibration isolation system based on the measuring step;
- and
- installing the MRI system at the first site.
A method of retrofitting a preexisting open MRI system comprising attaching a vibration isolation system to a magnet system of the preexisting MRI system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.