# US 2016/0252592 A1 · Safety monitoring for 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 2016/0252592 A1 - Document ID: US20160252592A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/030,629 - Filed: 2014-10-09 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: JOHAN SAMUEL VAN DEN BRINK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160252592A1 ## CPC - G01R 33/288: {Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room} - A61B 5/05: Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves (measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24) - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61B 5/063: {using impedance measurements} - A61B 5/70: {Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present invention provides a safety monitoring device (10) for detecting radio frequency resonances in a subject of interest (12) comprising an essentially tubular examination space (14), which is vertically arranged, for locating therein the subject of interest (12), an radio frequency resonance device (16), which has at least one connection port (21), for covering at least a part of the examination space (14) along its longitudinal axis, a rotation device (22) for rotating the radio frequency resonance device (16) relative to the subject of interest (12), a controlling device (30) for controlling the rotation of the radio frequency resonance device (16), and a detection device (34) for monitoring an impedance of the at least one connection port (21) of the radio frequency resonance device (16) during the rotation and detecting radio frequency resonances out of the monitored impedance of the at least one connection port (21) of the radio frequency resonance device (16). The present invention further provides a method for detecting radio frequency resonances in a subject of interest (12) comprising the steps of locating the subject of interest (12) within an essentially tubular examination space (14), which is vertically arranged, rotating a radio frequency resonance device (16), which has at least one connection port (21), relative to at least a part of the examination space (14) along its longitudinal axis, monitoring an impedance of the at least one connection port (21) of the radio frequency resonance device during (16) the rotation, and detecting radio frequency resonances out of the monitored impedance of the at least one connection port (21) of the radio frequency resonance device (16). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A safety monitoring device for detecting radio frequency resonances in a subject of interest comprising: an essentially tubular examination space, for locating therein the subject of interest (12), a radio frequency resonance device, which has at least one connection port, for covering at least a part of the examination space along its longitudinal axis, a rotation device for rotating the radio frequency resonance device relative to essentially tubular examination space, a controlling device for controlling the rotation of the radio frequency resonance device, and a detection device for monitoring an impedance of the at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device during the rotation and detecting radio frequency resonances out of the monitored impedance of the at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device has a plurality connection ports (21) and the detection device comprises sensors at the respective connection ports for sensing reflected power at the connection ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the safety monitoring device further comprises a ferromagnetic detection device to detect the presence of ferromagnetic objects. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation device is provided as a rotational stand for the subject of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation device is provided as a rotational support for the radio frequency resonance device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device is provided as a tubular coil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device is provided as a multi-resonant device comprising a single resonant structure, which covers at least two RF operation frequencies of different types of MR examination system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device is provided having at least two resonant structures, which are mutually decoupled, whereby each resonant structure covers the RF operation frequency of a different type of MR examination system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device is displaceable in the vertical direction between an operating position, in which the radio frequency resonance device is provided for covering at least a part of the examination space, and an access position for placing the subject of interest (12) in the examination space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency resonance device comprises a first and a second tubular segment, whereby the segments are movable relative to each other between a closed position, in which the segments commonly enclose the examination space, and an open position, in which at least one segment of the radio frequency resonance device is removed for access. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the examination space in the longitudinal direction is bigger than the extension of the radio frequency resonance device in the longitudinal direction, and the radio frequency resonance device is movable along the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The safety monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the safety monitoring device comprises a driving device, which is controllable by the controlling device, to drive at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device with low power. ### Claim 13 A method for detecting radio frequency resonances in a subject of interest comprising the steps of: locating the subject of interest within an essentially tubular examination space, rotating a radio frequency resonance device, which has at least one connection port, relative to at least a part of the examination space along its longitudinal axis, monitoring an impedance of the at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device during the rotation, and detecting radio frequency resonances out of the monitored impedance of the at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, comprising moving the radio frequency resonance device along the longitudinal axis of the examination space. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein monitoring the impedance of the at least one connection port of the radio frequency resonance device during the rotation comprises driving the at least one connection port with low power.