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US 6,549,009 B1Granted
Diagnostic simulator for MRI
AssigneeFonar Corporation
InventorsDavid Hertz, Michael B. Knepper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) simulator for evaluating an MRI device comprises sections for being selectively coupled to the corresponding portions of the MRI device. Data representative of a previously imaged object is provided to the portions of the MRI device, for processing. The results of the processing are evaluated to determine whether portions of the MRI device are operating properly. Methods of evaluating an MRI device and an MRI device incorporating such a simulator are also disclosed.
Claims110
A magnetic resonance imaging device comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume;
- a frequency down converter having an input selectively coupled to the receiving coil and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input selectively coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital processor having an input selectively coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- timing means having outputs coupled to inputs of the digital data processor, analog-to-digital converter array, frequency down converter, gradient field generating means and transmitting coil system;
- memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output;
- a digital-to-analog converting array having an input selectively coupled to the output of the memory and an output;
- means for selectively coupling the memory to the input of the digital data processor to provide digital data representative of the previously imaged object to the digital data processor for processing;
- and
- means for selectively coupling the output of the digital-to-analog converting array to the input of the analog-to-digital converting array.
7 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume;
- a frequency down converter having an input selectively coupled to the receiving coil and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input selectively coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital processor having an input selectively coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- timing means having outputs coupled to inputs of the digital data processor, analog-to-digital converter array, frequency down converter, gradient field generating means and transmitting coil system;
- memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output;
- a digital-to-analog converting array having an input coupled to the output of the memory and an output;
- and
- means for selectively coupling the output of the digital-to-analog converting array to the input of the analog-to-digital converting array to provide analog data representative of the previously imaged object to the analog-to-digital converting array for processing.
6 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume;
- a digital processor having an input;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input and an output connected to the input of the digital processor;
- means for providing analog data representative of a previously imaged object to the analog-to-digital converting array.
1 more element
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system comprising a receiving coil within the imaging volume;
- a frequency down converter having an input coupled to the output of the receiving coil and an output;
- means for providing high frequency analog data representative of a previously imaged object to the frequency up converter.
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume;
- gradient field generating means within the imaging volume;
- a transmitting and receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume, the at least one coil being a receiving coil having an output;
- a variable frequency amplifier having an input coupled to the output of the receiving coil and an output;
- and
- means for providing high frequency analog data representative of the previously imaged object to the variable frequency amplifier.
3 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system comprising a receiving coil within the imaging volume;
- a transmitting coil for transmitting radio frequency signals representative of a previously imaged object, proximate the receiving coil;
- and
- means for providing analog signals representative of a previously imaged object to the transmitting coil.
1 more element
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- magnetic resonance imaging means for conducting magnetic resonance imaging;
- signal processing means for processing magnetic resonance imaging signals;
- means for storing data representative of a previously imaged object;
- control means for causing output of the data from the storage means in coordination with a predetermined scanning sequence;
- and
- means for providing the data output from the storage means to the signal processing means in coordination with the predetermined scanning sequence.
3 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume;
- a frequency down converter having an input coupled to the coil and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital processor having an input coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- timing means having outputs coupled to inputs of the digital data processor, analog-to-digital converter array, frequency down converter, gradient field generating means and transmitting and receiving coil system;
- memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output;
- a digital-to-analog converting array having an input coupled to the output of the memory and an output;
- a frequency-up-converter having an input coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converting array, and an output;
- a switch for selectively coupling the output of the frequency up converter to the input of the frequency down converter to provide high frequency analog data representative of the previously imaged object to the frequency down converter for processing.
6 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting receiving coil system including at least one coil within the imaging volume;
- a variable amplifier having an output coupled to the frequency down converter and an input coupled to an output of the coil;
- a frequency down converter having an input coupled to output of the variable amplifier and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital processor having an input coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- timing means having outputs coupled to inputs of the digital data processor, analog-to-digital converter array, frequency down converter, gradient field generating means and transmitting coil;
- memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output;
- digital-to-analog converting array having an input coupled to the output of the memory and an output;
- a frequency up converter having an input coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converting array;
- and
- a switch for selectively coupling the output of the frequency up converter to the input of the variable amplifier to provide high-frequency analog signals representative of the previously imaged object to the variable amplifier.
8 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet with an imaging volume, a gradient field generating means within the imaging volume, and a transmitting and receiving coil system comprising a receiving coil within the imaging volume;
- a frequency down converter having an input coupled to an output of the coil and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital data processor having an input coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- timing means having outputs coupled to inputs of the digital data processor, analog-to-digital converting array, frequency down converter, gradient field generating means and transmitting coil system;
- memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output;
- a digital-to-analog converting array having an input coupled to the output of the memory and an output;
- a frequency up converter having an input coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converting array and an output;
- a transmitting coil separate from the transmitting and receiving coil system, the transmitting coil having an input;
- and
- a switch for selectively coupling the input of the transmitting coil to the output of the frequency up converter, the transmitting coil being positioned proximate the receiving coil such that radio frequency signals representative of the previously imaged object emitted by the transmitting coil are received by the receiving coil.
8 more elements
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device which conducts digital data processing, analog-to-digital conversion and image display, the magnetic resonance imaging device comprising memory, the method comprising:
- (a) storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object;
- converting the digital data representative of a previously imaged object output from the memory, to analog data;
- (c) providing the analog data to an analog-to-digital converting array for processing by the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- and
- (d) evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the said processing of the provided data.
2 more elements
A method for operating a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- storing data representative of a previously imaged object in memory of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- outputting the data from the memory, in coordination with a predetermined scanning sequence;
- selectively providing the output data to a plurality of components of the magnetic resonance imaging device in coordination with the predetermined scanning sequence;
- processing the data provided to each of the components;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processing of the provided data.
3 more elements
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device including a transmitting coil, the method comprising:
- storing data representative of a previously imaged object in memory of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- transmitting radio frequency data representative of a previously imaged object based on the stored data from the transmitting coil to a receiving coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device for processing;
- processing the data;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processing of the data.
2 more elements
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- storing data representative of a previously imaged object in memory of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- providing high frequency analog data representative of a previously imaged object based on the stored data to a frequency down converter of the magnetic resonance imaging device for processing;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processed data.
1 more element
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- storing data representative of a previously imaged object in memory of the magnetic imaging device;
- providing high frequency analog data representative of a previously imaged object based on the stored data to a variable amplifier of the magnetic resonance imaging device for processing;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processed data.
1 more element
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- storing data representative of a previously imaged object in memory of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- providing analog data representative of a previously imaged object to an analog-to-digital converting array of the magnetic resonance imaging device for processing;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processed data.
1 more element
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- providing radio frequency data representative of a previously imaged object to a receiving coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device for processing;
- processing the data;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processed data.
1 more element
A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging device having a signal processing portion for processing magnetic resonance signals and a signal generating portion, the method comprising:
- selectively coupling a first component of signal generating portion to the signal processing portion of the magnetic resonance imaging device, the first signal processing component processing data in a first format;
- providing data representative of a previously imaged object in the first format to the signal processing component;
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processing of the data provided in the first format by the signal processing portion;
- selectively coupling a second component of the signal processing portion to the signal generating portion of the magnetic resonance imaging device, the second component processing data in a second format;
- providing data representative of the previously imaged object in the second format from the signal generating portion to the second component;
- and
- evaluating the magnetic resonance imaging device based on the processing of the data provided in the second format by the signal processing portion.
4 more elements
A circuit for a magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a digital-to-analog converting array for being selectively coupled to an analog-to-digital converting array of the magnetic resonance imaging device;
- means for selectively coupling the digital-to-analog converting array to a memory for storing digital data representative of a previously imaged object;
- a frequency up converter having an input for being selectively connected to the output of the digital-to-analog converting array;
- means for selectively coupling the digital-to-analog converting array to an input of the analog-to-digital converting array or to the input of the frequency up converter;
- and
- a transmitting coil having an input for being selectively coupled to the output of the frequency up converter;
- and
- means for selectively coupling the output of the frequency up converter to a frequency down converter of the magnetic resonance imaging device or to an input of a transmitting coil.
5 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet assembly defining an imaging volume to receive a subject;
- a first transmitting antenna to transmit radio frequency signals to a subject within the imaging volume;
- a receiving coil within the imaging volume to receive magnetic resonance signals from the subject;
- a second transmitting antenna having an input;
- memory storing data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output selectively coupled to the input of the second transmitting antenna to provide data representative of the previously imaged object to the second transmitting antenna for transmission to the receiving coil.
2 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet assembly defining an imaging volume to receive a subject;
- a first transmitting antenna to transmit radio frequency signals to a subject within the imaging volume;
- a receiving coil within the imaging volume to receive magnetic resonance signals from the subject;
- signal processing circuitry to process the magnetic resonance imaging signals received by the receiving coil;
- a second transmitting antenna having an input;
- and
- memory storing data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output selectively coupled to the input of the second transmitting antenna to provide data representative of the previously imaged object to the second transmitting antenna for transmission to the receiving coil.
4 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising:
- a magnet assembly defining an imaging volume to receive a subject;
- a first transmitting antenna to transmit radio frequency signals to a subject within the imaging volume;
- a receiving coil within the imaging volume to receive magnetic resonance signals from the subject;
- a second transmitting antenna having an input;
- a variable amplifier having an input selectively coupled to an output of the receiving coil and an output;
- a frequency down converter having an input selectively coupled to the output of the variable amplifier and an output;
- an analog-to-digital converting array having an input selectively coupled to the output of the frequency down converter and an output;
- a digital data processor having an input selectively coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converting array and an output;
- memory storing data representative of a previously imaged object, the memory having an output selectively coupled to the input of the digital data processor;
- a digital-to-analog converting array having an input selectively coupled to the output of the memory and an output selectively coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter;
- and
- a frequency up converter having an input selectively coupled to an output of the digital-to-analog converting array and an output selectively coupled to the input of the variable amplifier and selectively coupled to the input of the frequency down converter to selectively provide high frequency analog data representative of the previously imaged object to the variable amplifier and to the frequency down converter, respectively.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.