Apparatus and method for the examination of properties of an object
AssigneeInstrumentarium Corp.
InventorRaimo Sepponen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for the examination of an object by the application of methods, such as magnetic imaging, based on nuclear magnetic resonance. The apparatus includes means for creating a first magnetic field over an object to be examined as well as means for creating and registering a nuclear magnetic resonance signal. The apparatus further includes means for creating a second magnetic field in a manner that the formation of nuclear magnetization occurring between successive excitation and signal pick-up events is at least partially effected while the second magnetic field is switched on.
Claims14
Apparatus for examining an object by means of nuclear magnetic resonance based techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging, said apparatus providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio and comprising:
- means for generating a first polarizing magnetic field and for applying same to the object undergoing examination;
- means for generating magnetic field gradients for said first polarizing magnetic field;
- means for generating a second polarizing magnetic field for application to said object;
- means for exciting the nuclear spin system of said object and detecting the resulting nuclear magnetic resonance signal;
- and
- means controlling the operation of said magnetic field gradients generating means, said exciting and detecting means, and said second polarizing magnetic field generating means for applying said second polarizing magnetic field to said object prior to but not during nuclear spin system excitation, magnetic field gradient generation, and nuclear magnetic resonance signal detection.
A method for examining an object by means of nuclear magnetic resonance based techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging, said method providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio and comprising the steps of:
- generating a first polarizing magnetic field and applying same to the object undergoing examination;
- generating magnetic field gradients for the first polarizing magnetic field;
- generating a second polarizing magnetic field for application to said object;
- exciting the nuclear spin system of said object and detecting the resulting nuclear magnetic resonance signal;
- and
- controlling the generation of the magnetic field gradients, the excitation of the nuclear spin system and detection of the resulting nuclear magnetic resonance signal, and the generation of the second polarizing magnetic field for applying the second polarizing magnetic field to said object prior to but not during nuclear spin system excitation, magnetic field gradient generation, and nuclear magnetic resonance signal detection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.