Wireless Physiological Data Acquisition System

Abstract

A physiologic transmitter manages multiple communications between physiologic data acquisition devices attached to the patient and a receiver attached to an MRI or CT scanner. The transmitter's processor is able to generate waveform data and trigger data based upon the acquired physiologic data and transmit the data to a physiologic receiver attached to the host scanner. The receiver then is able to deliver a trigger signal to the host scanner for imaging the patient during a selected time frame based upon cardiac and / or respiratory cycles of the patient.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62 / 025,171, filed Jul. 16, 2014, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) compatible wireless physiological gated imaging. More specifically, a system for obtaining physiological data of a patient, generating trigger signals for the MRI or CT scanner, and wirelessly communicating the physiological data and / or trigger signals in the MRI or CT environment is disclosed.[0003]As is known to those skilled in the art, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system alternately generates a strong magnetic field and then detects the faint nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR signals given off by nuclei in the presence of the magnetic field. The NMR signals are received by antennas, also known as coils, and tr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide a wireless communication system that can transmit a trigger signal quickly, with low latency, low jitter, and high reliability.

Problems solved by technology

Similar to an MRI scanner, a number of different artifacts may produce unwanted interference during a CT scan, such as motion artifact related to voluntary or physiologic motion.

Specifically, with respect to motion artifacts, MRI and CT imaging is complicated by the periodic motion of a patient, such as respiratory or cardiac motion.

However, due to the delays in pressure wave propagation, use of peripheral pulse are typically not as accurate as using ECG signals for synchronizing a cardiac signal.

MRI and CT imaging is also complicated by respiratory motion which may also be a significant factor in causing motion artifacts.

While breath-holding and signal averaging have been commonly practiced techniques, they are not always practical or effective for minimizing interference.

However, the existing methods use wired connections between the host scanner and the physiological sensors.

Also, existing systems are generally inflexible with respect to interchanging the hardware for MRI and CT because of the separate cords and data formats specific to each type of application.

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