Newborn MRI imaging device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of neonatal MRI imaging devices, and provides a neonatal MRI imaging device which comprises an imaging unit, a head fixing device and a matched bed body facilitating testing, the head fixing device is of a helmet type structure and comprises an upper cover body and a base, and a flexible coil module used for imaging is arranged in the imaging unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of neonatal MRI imaging devices, and in particular to a neonatal MRI imaging device. Background Art

[0002] Magnetic resonance imaging technology has the advantages of being non-invasive, radiation-free, and capable of multi-parameter imaging. It can provide comprehensive information such as anatomical and functional imaging, and is widely used in neonatal brain development and brain disease diagnosis. At the same time, the quality and resolution of clinical images determine the accuracy of MRI diagnosis. In recent years, the emergence of high-field parallel imaging technology and high-density multi-channel coil arrays has greatly improved the signal-to-noise ratio and imaging speed.

[0003] However, in clinical applications, pediatric MRI still uses coils designed for adults. Due to the small size of patients, in order to meet the needs of high-resolution imaging of smaller anatomical structures, the typical solution requires longer scanning time to maintain sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, but due to the influence of sedation to reduce motion artifacts, longer scanning time will affect the physiological state of neonatal patients. The relatively small anatomical structure of the newborn brings challenges in terms of available signal and image resolution.

[0004] Moreover, MRI image settings (image acquisition protocol and RF coil hardware design) usually require a longer scan time to maintain a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, but due to the influence of sedation, longer scan times will affect the physiological state of neonatal patients and easily introduce more motion artifacts into the image. The mismatch between the coil and the imaging site, the reduction of signal strength due to long distance, and the noise from the loss of coil elements seriously affect the image quality and resolution.

[0005] Therefore, strict restrictions are imposed on the scan time. In order to detect small anatomical structures within a reasonable scan time, it is key to quickly obtain high spatial resolution and high-quality clinical images. The most important factor is the RF coil used. Selecting a coil that closely matches the imaging area is an important method for extracting the maximum MR signal in the patient.

[0006] Therefore, the coil in the prior art cannot fit the imaging part well, resulting in reduced signal strength and increased noise from coil element loss at a long distance, which seriously affects the image signal-to-noise ratio and resolution, and affects the inspection quality. Summary of the invention

[0007] One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a neonatal MRI imaging device to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A neonatal MRI imaging device comprises an imaging unit, a head fixing device, and a matching bed body for testing. The head fixing device is a helmet-type structure and comprises an upper cover body and a base. A flexible coil module for imaging is arranged in the imaging unit.

[0010] Furthermore, the flexible coil module includes a 32-channel high-density imaging unit in a ring structure.

[0011] Furthermore, foam cushions are provided on both sides of the upper cover body.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper cover has an opening, and one end of the upper cover away from the opening is rotatably connected to the base;

[0013] An arc groove is provided on the surface of the base, and the arc groove and the inner space of the upper cover body form an imaging space for accommodating a human head.

[0014] Furthermore, the matching bed body is provided with a trunk support portion, and the trunk support portion is located on one side of the matching bed body and extends into the head fixing device.

[0015] Furthermore, a plurality of ventilation holes are provided at the locations where the flexible coil modules are arranged on both sides of the upper cover.

[0016] Furthermore, the horizontal cross section of the imaging space is in a “∩”-shaped structure.

[0017] Furthermore, a flexible body support pad is provided, and the flexible body support pad is located between the trunk support portion and the surface of the matching bed body.

[0018] The working principle and beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0019] Compared with existing commercial infant coils, the semi-flexible design on the left and right sides of the upper cover of the present invention can ensure better flexibility and greater bending degree of the imaging unit; enable the flexible coil module (coil) to fit tightly on the subject's head and be as close to the imaging site as possible to improve imaging sensitivity.

[0020] The upper and lower parts of the device can be opened and closed, and there is no rigid mechanical connection in the connecting parts, which can move independently. The added torso support plate allows the subject's head to contact the head coil in real time.

[0021] The imaging coil unit has 32 channels, making it the infant head coil with the highest number of channels on the market. It has a higher distribution density and can obtain better image signal-to-noise ratio and image quality on the magnetic resonance system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the model structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the head fixing device;

[0025] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a sample of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the opening and closing process of the head fixing device according to one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the combination of a trunk support part and a matching bed body according to one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 6 This is the water model imaging result;

[0029] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0030] In the figure: 11, upper cover; 111, opening; 112, air vent; 12, base; 121, arc groove; 14, foam cushion; 2, matching bed; 21, trunk support; 3, imaging unit; 31, flexible coil module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Embodiment 1

[0033] Adult head coil imaging devices are often used in clinical and research institutions when performing pediatric brain MRI. Image quality and resolution are seriously affected by the mismatch between the coil and the imaging site, the reduction of signal strength due to long distance, and the increase of noise from coil element loss, which makes the brain in a suboptimal state in terms of sensitivity, reception and encoding capabilities of accelerated imaging.

[0034] Another approach is to use a customized head coil for infants, or even a set of head array coils of different sizes, so that MRI can be used in a wider pediatric population, but the coils used will be frequently replaced according to the age of the infant, which brings many inconveniences. At the same time, the number of coil channels for infants and young children is small, and the imaging structure is single, which limits the acquisition of useful signals and image quality.

[0035] Regarding these issues, such as Figure 1-7 As shown, this embodiment provides a neonatal MRI imaging device, which mainly includes an imaging unit 3, a head fixing device, and a matching bed 2 for easy testing. The head fixing device is a helmet-type structure, and includes an upper cover 11 and a base 12, which are divided into two different parts for design, and the base 12 is a fixed structure.

[0036] The upper cover 11 has an opening 111, and one end of the upper cover 11 away from the opening 111 is rotatably connected to the base 12. The upper cover 11 with an upper and lower opening design cooperates with the matching bed 2 part connected to the human head, thereby improving the overall MRI scanning compliance of the subject.

[0037] In order to obtain a good penetration depth, the flexible coil module 31 set in the imaging unit 3 in this embodiment adopts a 32-channel high-density imaging unit, and selects a loop design, adjusts the unit size according to different imaging positions, and establishes a non-modular array. Once the side part is close to the subject's head, it can be fixed using a customized flexible part device, perfectly matching the complex and size-changing structure to achieve reasonable coverage of the infant's head imaging area, ensuring that it is as close to the brain as possible to improve the coil sensitivity. Therefore, the high-density imaging unit design with up to 32 channels can further improve the sensitivity of the acquired signal and improve the imaging quality of the newborn's head.

[0038] The size of the upper cover 11 and the base 12 is designed to accommodate children between the ages of 0 and 12 months, and the coil housing is 3D modeled using computer-aided design software. The geometric shape of the inner surface of the head fixation device (i.e., the imaging space) is determined based on the average head shape of children under 1 year old, and the accommodating dimensions are designed to be 175mm in the AP direction, 175mm in the HF direction, and 175mm in the LR direction. When the high-density head array coil fits tightly on the subject's head, it is necessary to consider providing sufficient space for the subject's ear protection. Therefore, this embodiment also reserves 6mm of space on both sides of the upper cover 11 for foam filling, and places a foam cushion 14 to assist in fixing the subject's head and reduce head movement. The surface shape of the foam cushion 14 can be specified according to the shape of the side of the child's head, which will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, an arc groove 121 is opened on the surface of the base 12. The arc groove 121 and the internal space of the upper cover 11 constitute an imaging space for accommodating the human head, which is convenient for placing infants and young children as subjects for MRI brain imaging.

[0040] In order to avoid discomfort in the back of the head and neck, the matching bed 2 is also provided with a trunk support 21, which is used in conjunction with the coil imaging part to support the body and compensate for imaging height. The trunk support 21 is located on one side of the matching bed 2 and extends into the head fixing device. At the same time, a flexible trunk support pad can also be added, which is located on the surface of the trunk support 21 and the matching bed 2.

[0041] The flexible parts in this embodiment can be configured as an adjustable and replaceable structure to adapt to changes in head size within an age range, especially the trunk support part 21 extends into the imaging space so that the test part can better fit the flexible coil module 31 (coil unit).

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, a plurality of ventilation holes 112 are provided at the locations where the flexible coil modules 31 are provided on both sides of the upper cover 11 to prevent the subject from feeling stuffy and hot in the imaging space due to the closed surroundings.

[0043] The horizontal cross-section of the imaging space formed by the upper cover 11 and the base 12 in this embodiment is a "∩"-shaped structure rather than a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical structure, which can make the imaging coverage range large, and can provide an imaging space of 17.5*17.5*17.5mm3, can achieve better imaging capabilities, and can improve the image signal-to-noise ratio and image quality.

[0044] The upper cover 11 cooperates with the flexible support pad inside itself to realize the "rigid-flexible" helmet design, which can make the test part fit the coil unit better. And the upper and lower parts are open and close, and the upper and lower connecting parts have no direct electrical connection, and can be opened and closed above the head for use. The additional torso support part 21 is directly connected to the head, which can make the subject's head more comfortable to contact the coil.

[0045] The flexible coil module 31 in this embodiment can also support layout designs with different unit structures and numbers. The structural design of the ring unit can more perfectly cover the imaging object with a near-spherical load, help reduce the electromagnetic coupling between the imaging electrical unit and the imaging object, and improve the imaging image quality.

[0046] This embodiment uses a 3T Siemens magnetic resonance imaging system to verify the feasibility and practicality of the head imaging device. The imaging sequence is SE sequence, and the scanning parameters are: TR = 500ms, TE = 15ms, Matrix = 256*256, FOV = 170*170. The water model imaging results are shown in Figure 6 shown.

[0047] Of course, this embodiment is not limited to the use of newborns and infants for imaging, and the same magnetic resonance imaging device can be provided for adults by changing the corresponding size. It is not limited to the 3T magnetic resonance system, and can be expanded to design more field strength applications for different application scenarios.

[0048] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A neonatal MRI imaging device, comprising an imaging unit, a head fixing device, and a matching bed (2) for facilitating testing, characterized in that: The head fixing device is a helmet-type structure and comprises an upper cover (11) and a base (12); a flexible coil module (31) for imaging is provided in the imaging unit.

2. A neonatal MRI imaging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible coil module (31) comprises a 32-channel high-density imaging unit in an annular structure.

3. A neonatal MRI imaging device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: Foam cushions (14) are provided on both sides of the upper cover body (11).

4. A neonatal MRI imaging device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The upper cover body (11) has an opening (111), and one end of the upper cover body (11) away from the opening (111) is rotatably connected to the base (12); An arc-shaped groove (121) is provided on the surface of the base (12), and the arc-shaped groove (121) and the internal space of the upper cover body (11) form an imaging space for accommodating a human head.

5. A neonatal MRI imaging device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that: The matching bed body (2) is provided with a trunk support portion (21), and the trunk support portion (21) is located on one side of the matching bed body (2) and extends into the head fixing device.

6. A neonatal MRI imaging device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that: A plurality of ventilation holes (112) are provided at the locations where the flexible coil modules (31) are arranged on both sides of the upper cover body (11).

7. A neonatal MRI imaging device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The horizontal cross section of the imaging space is in a "∩"-shaped structure.

8. A neonatal MRI imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A flexible body support pad is provided, and the flexible body support pad is located on the surface of the trunk support portion (21) and the matching bed body (2).

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