Surgical procedure with magnetic resonance imaging

Apparatus for use in surgical procedures comprising:

• an operating table for receiving a patient for surgery, the table having a first end and a second end;
• and a magnetic resonance imaging system for obtaining images of a part of the patient at a series of times through the surgical procedure for analysis by the surgical team to allow the surgical team to monitor the progress of the surgery, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
• a magnet for generating high magnetic fields;
• a control system for controlling and varying the magnetic fields;
• a radio frequency transmission and detection system for eliciting and detecting from the part of the patient nuclear magnetic resonance signals, in response to the magnetic field, including an RF probe arranged to be located adjacent to the part of the patient;
• and a computer and display monitor for decoding and displaying the detected signals;
• and means mounting the magnet for movement relative to the table in a direction away from the first end of the table from a first position at the table to a second position remote from the table;
• the first position of the magnet being arranged such that the part of the patient is positioned in the magnetic field of the magnet while the patient remains in place on the table;
• the second position of the magnet being arranged such that the magnet is spaced from the first end of the table by a distance sufficient to allow the surgical team to move around the first end of table and to each side of the table to access the patient and sufficient to allow to allow the surgical team to carry out the surgical procedure.