Magnetic resonance apparatus

Abstract

The invention is based on a magnetic resonance apparatus having a scanner unit, a patient receiving area at least partially surrounded by the scanner unit, and a patient display unit arranged within the patient receiving area, wherein the patient display unit comprises a reflective display.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a magnetic resonance apparatus having a scanner unit, a patient receiving area at least partially surrounded by the scanner unit, and a patient display unit arranged within the patient receiving area. BACKGROUND

[0002] Magnetic resonance examinations of a patient have a relatively long examination time. During this examination time, the patient, in particular the region of the patient to be examined, is located in the patient receiving area of the magnetic resonance apparatus. Therefore, there is often a necessity to communicate information and / or instructions to the patient during the duration of the magnetic resonance examination. Due to the very loud operating noise of parts of the magnetic resonance apparatus, the patient is provided with hearing protection during the magnetic resonance examination. In order to nevertheless enable an audio communication of the patient with a medical operator during the duration of the magnetic resonance examination, it is furthermore known that the patient additionally wears an occupying space-consuming headset.

[0003] However, for a hearing-impaired patient, an audio communication is more difficult or not feasible. It is therefore desirable to additionally provide the patient with an optical and / or visual communication path. However, it is difficult to fit a standard LED display or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) in the region that can be seen by the patient during the examination, in particular in the patient receiving area, since the displays are rigid and cannot be adapted to the curvature of the housing surrounding the patient receiving area. Furthermore, such displays generate electromagnetic interferences which can cause image artifacts in the detected image data. Furthermore, such displays have a high power consumption.

[0004] In order to provide the patient with visual information in the patient receiving area, it is known hitherto to project the information onto a wall and via a mirror system into the patient receiving area for display to the patient. However, such an arrangement with a mirror system requires a very large location within the patient receiving area, which in turn limits the locations and / or spaces available to the patient. SUMMARY

[0005] The invention is based in particular on the object of providing a simple and location-saving integration of a visual communication unit for a patient during a magnetic resonance apparatus. The object is achieved by a magnetic resonance apparatus. Advantageous design schemes are described in the following description.

[0006] The invention is based on a magnetic resonance apparatus having a scanner unit, a patient receiving area at least partially surrounded by the scanner unit, and a patient display unit arranged within the patient receiving area. According to the invention, it is proposed that the patient display unit comprises a reflective display.

[0007] The magnetic resonance device preferably comprises a medical and / or diagnostic magnetic resonance device, which is designed and / or configured for detecting medical and / or diagnostic image data, in particular medical and / or diagnostic magnetic resonance image data. To this end, the magnetic resonance device comprises a scanner unit. The scanner unit of the magnetic resonance device preferably comprises a detector unit, in particular a magnet unit, for detecting the medical and / or diagnostic image data. In this case, advantageously, the scanner unit, in particular the magnet unit, comprises a main magnet, a gradient coil unit and a radio frequency antenna unit. The radio frequency antenna unit is fixedly arranged within the scanner unit and is designed and / or configured for emitting excitation pulses. For detecting magnetic resonance signals, the magnetic resonance device has a local radio frequency coil, which is arranged around the region of the patient to be examined.

[0008] The main magnet of the scanner unit is configured for generating a homogeneous main magnetic field with a defined and / or specified magnetic field strength, for example with a defined and / or specified magnetic field strength of 3 T or 1.5 T or the like. In particular, the main magnet is configured for generating a strong, constant and homogeneous main magnetic field. The homogeneous main magnetic field is preferably arranged and / or present within a patient receiving region of the magnetic resonance device. The gradient coil unit is configured for generating magnetic field gradients for position encoding during imaging.

[0009] The patient receiving region is designed and / or configured for accommodating a patient, in particular a region of the patient to be examined, for a medical magnetic resonance examination. For example, to this end, the patient receiving region is configured cylindrically and / or is cylindrically surrounded by the scanner unit. To this end, the scanner unit has an outer shell of a housing unit, which at least partially surrounds the patient receiving region. The outer shell, which surrounds the patient receiving region, can in this case also be configured in one piece and / or in one piece with a side of the radio frequency antenna unit of the scanner unit, which faces the patient receiving region, or can also be configured separately from the radio frequency antenna unit of the scanner unit.

[0010] Within the patient receiving region, there is preferably arranged a field of view (FOV) and / or an isocenter of the magnetic resonance device. The FOV preferably comprises a detection region of the magnetic resonance device, within which there are conditions, for example a homogeneous main magnetic field, for detecting medical image data, in particular magnetic resonance image data. The isocenter of the magnetic resonance device preferably comprises a region and / or a point within the magnetic resonance device, which has optimal and / or ideal conditions for detecting medical image data, in particular magnetic resonance image data. In particular, the isocenter comprises the most homogeneous magnetic field region within the magnetic resonance device.

[0011] The patient support device is configured for positioning and / or supporting a patient for a magnetic resonance examination. The patient support device can comprise here an examination bed which is configured to be movable into a patient receiving region. For a magnetic resonance examination, the patient is positioned on the examination bed such that the region to be examined is disposed and / or positioned in the isocenter of the patient receiving region after the examination bed is positioned in the patient receiving region.

[0012] The magnetic resonance device has a communication unit for communication and / or information exchange between the patient and a medical operator during the magnetic resonance examination. On the user side, the communication unit preferably has a communication element, for example a communication console, for inputting and / or outputting communication data, for example information. Furthermore, the communication unit likewise has at least one communication element on the patient side. In particular, the communication unit has a visual communication element which is configured as a patient display unit.

[0013] The patient display unit preferably has a display surface, in particular a patient display, which is disposed in the patient receiving region. The patient display unit, in particular the patient display, is configured for visually and / or optically outputting information and / or instructions to the patient during the magnetic resonance examination. The patient display unit, in particular the patient display, has a reflective display here. The reflective display preferably comprises a passive display and / or a non-luminous display content and / or information and / or a display surface on the display. Preferably, the reflective display comprises an electronic paper display. The reflective display and / or the electronic paper display reflects light like ordinary paper. Typically here, the reflective display and / or the electronic paper display is configured such that the distance from the imaging element to the surface, in particular the output surface and / or the display surface, is smaller than in the case of conventional displays, for example LC displays.

[0014] The invention has the advantage that, due to the small distance between the imaging element and the display surface and / or the presentation surface , the displayed image content is the same from all viewing angles to the display surface and / or the display surface. Furthermore, with the aid of the reflective display and / or the electronic paper display, static display can be realized in a particularly energy-saving manner over a longer period of time, since only a current is required in these displays to change the image content, for example to turn a page. Static display can furthermore be operated without flicker. A further advantage is that the display on the reflective display and / or the electronic paper display is well readable and / or recognizable for the patient both in a dark environment and in a bright environment. Furthermore, the reflective display and / or the electronic paper display can be configured very thin and light, so that a space-saving arrangement in the patient receiving region can be realized and the space and / or the position available to the patient in the patient receiving region is substantially hardly limited.

[0015] In an advantageous refinement of the magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application it can be provided that the patient accommodation region has a housing with an inner wall which surrounds the patient accommodation region, and that the reflective display is arranged at the inner wall which surrounds the patient accommodation region upwardly. Preferably, the reflective display and / or the e-paper display is arranged at the inner wall of the housing which surrounds the patient accommodation region opposite a support region which is designed and / or constructed for supporting the head of the patient. Thereby, an advantageous visibility of the reflective display and / or the e-paper display for the patient can be achieved during the magnetic resonance examination and / or during a stay in the patient accommodation region.

[0016] In an advantageous refinement of the magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application it can be provided that the reflective display has a shape, and that the shape of the reflective display matches a surface shape of the inner wall of the housing which surrounds the patient accommodation region. Preferably, in this case the reflective display and / or the e-paper display is constructed to be bendable, whereby a particularly simple matching of the surface shape of the inner wall of the housing which surrounds the patient accommodation region can be achieved. In this way, a particularly space-saving arrangement of the patient display unit, in particular of the reflective display and / or the e-paper display, in the patient accommodation region can be achieved. In particular, in this way an exact matching of the reflective display and / or the e-paper display to the surface shape of the inner wall can be achieved.

[0017] In an advantageous refinement of the magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application it can be provided that the magnetic resonance apparatus has a data transmission unit which is constructed for transmitting data to the reflective display. The data transmission unit can here comprise a wired data transmission and / or a data transmission by means of an optical waveguide and / or a data transmission by means of a standard radio protocol, for example by means of Bluetooth, and / or a data transmission by means of an optical data transmission technology, for example by means of infrared data transmission. Further, any other transmission technology which appears to be meaningful at any time to the person skilled in the art is feasible.

[0018] In an advantageous refinement of the magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application it can be provided that the magnetic resonance apparatus has a display control unit, wherein by means of the display control unit a transmission of data to the reflective display and / or a signal processing by means of the reflective display is stopped during the detection of the magnetic resonance data.

[0019] The display control unit comprises at least one computing module and / or processor, wherein the display control unit is designed for controlling the patient display unit, in particular a reflective display and / or an e-paper display. Thus, the display control unit is in particular designed for executing computer-readable commands in order to control the patient display unit, in particular a reflective display and / or an e-paper display. In particular, the display control unit comprises a storage unit, wherein computer-readable information is stored on the storage unit, wherein the display control unit is designed for downloading the computer-readable information from the storage unit and for executing the computer-readable information. The components of the display control unit can be constituted in large part in the form of software components. However, in principle, these components can also be realized in part in the form of software-supported hardware components, for example FPGAs, etc., in particular when particularly fast computations are involved. Likewise, the required interfaces, for example when they only involve receiving data from other software components, can be constituted as software interfaces. However, they can also be constituted as interfaces which are constructed in a hardware manner, which are manipulated by suitable software. It is of course also conceivable that a plurality of the mentioned components are realized in combination in the form of a single software component or a software-supported hardware component.

[0020] The detection of the magnetic resonance data is preferably carried out in a magnetic resonance data detection time window. During this magnetic resonance data detection time window, the transmission of data to the reflective display and / or the signal processing by the reflective display is prevented and / or stopped. This design of the application has the advantage that an unwanted interference with the detection of the magnetic resonance data is advantageously prevented, and in turn image artifacts in the detected magnetic resonance image data can also be prevented.

[0021] In an advantageous refinement of the magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application it can be provided that during the detection of the magnetic resonance data a static display of image information and / or instructions is displayed by the reflective display. Since the image information and / or instructions are displayed statically and / or persistently during the detection of the magnetic resonance data, in particular during the magnetic resonance data detection time window, the patient can continue to be informed. This static and / or persistent display during the magnetic resonance data detection time window can contribute to calming the patient, and in turn to a high quality of the detected image data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] Further advantages, features and details of the application result from the embodiments described below and from the attached drawings.

[0023] The drawings show:

[0024] Figure 1 a schematic view of a magnetic resonance apparatus according to the application with a patient display unit; and

[0025] Figure 2A cross section through the patient receiving region with a patient display unit is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In Figure 1 A magnetic resonance apparatus 10 is shown schematically. The magnetic resonance apparatus 10 comprises a scanner unit 11 formed by a magnet unit. Furthermore, the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 has a patient receiving region 12 for receiving a patient 13. In the present embodiment, the patient receiving region 12 is cylindrically configured and is cylindrically surrounded in a circumferential direction by the scanner unit 11, in particular the magnet unit. However, in principle, a different configuration of the patient receiving region 12 is conceivable at any time. By means of a patient support device 14 of the magnetic resonance apparatus 10, the patient 13 can be pushed and / or moved into the patient receiving region 12. To this end, the patient support device 14 has an examination bed 15 which is movably configured within the patient receiving region 12. In particular, in this case, the examination bed 15 is movably supported in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the patient receiving region 12 and / or in the z-direction.

[0027] The scanner unit 11, in particular the magnet unit, comprises a superconducting main magnet 16 for generating a strong and in particular constant main magnetic field 17. Furthermore, the scanner unit 11, in particular the magnet unit, has a gradient coil unit 18 for generating magnetic field gradients for position encoding during imaging. The gradient coil unit 18 is controlled by means of a gradient control unit 19 of the magnetic resonance apparatus 10. The scanner unit 11, in particular the magnet unit, also comprises a radio frequency antenna unit 20 for exciting polarization occurring in the main magnetic field 17 generated by the main magnet 16. The radio frequency antenna unit 20 is controlled by a radio frequency antenna control unit 21 of the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 and radiates radio frequency magnetic resonance sequences into the patient receiving region 12 of the magnetic resonance apparatus 10.

[0028] For controlling the main magnet 16, the gradient control unit 19 and for controlling the radio frequency antenna control unit 21, the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 has a system control unit 22. The system control unit 22 centrally controls the magnetic resonance apparatus, for example, to execute predetermined imaging gradient echo sequences. Furthermore, the system control unit 22 comprises an evaluation unit, not shown in detail, for evaluating medical image data detected during a magnetic resonance examination.

[0029] Furthermore, the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 comprises a user interface 23 connected to the system control unit 22. Control information, for example imaging parameters, as well as reconstructed magnetic resonance images can be displayed to a medical operator on a display unit 24 of the user interface 23, for example on at least one monitor. Furthermore, the user interface 23 has an input unit 25 by means of which information and / or parameters can be input by the medical operator during the measurement process.

[0030] The scanner unit 11 of the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 is arranged together with the patient support apparatus 14 in an examination room 26. The system control unit 22 together with the user interface 23 is arranged in a control room 27. The control room 27 is constructed separately from the examination room 26. In particular, the examination room 26 and the control room 27 are shielded with respect to radio frequency radiation. During a magnetic resonance examination, the patient 13 is located in the examination room 26, while the medical operator is usually located in the control room 27.

[0031] For the communication and / or information exchange of the patient 13 and the medical operator during a magnetic resonance examination, the magnetic resonance apparatus 10 has a communication unit 28. Figure 1 ) On the operator side, the communication unit 28 has a communication element which is constructed as an operator console 29. The communication element, in particular the operator console 29, is preferably arranged in the control room 27. The operator console 29 has an input element 30 and an output element 31. The input element 30 and / or the output element 31 can here be constructed as an acoustic and / or visual input element 30 and / or output element 31.

[0032] Furthermore, on the patient side, the communication unit 28 has a first communication element which is constructed as an input element 32. By means of the input element 32, the patient 13 can inform the operator, in particular the medical operator, of a sensation, for example of discomfort, during a magnetic resonance examination. In the present embodiment, the input element 32 is constructed as a patient call button. However, in principle, other input elements 32, for example a microphone, etc., which appear to be meaningful to the person skilled in the art, are also possible in another configuration of the communication unit 28. On the patient side, the communication unit 28 also has a second communication element which is constructed as an output element 33. The output element 33 is constructed as a patient display unit 34. The patient display unit 34 comprises a reflective display 35 which is constructed as an e-paper display.

[0033] The patient display unit 34, in particular the reflective display 35 and / or the e-paper display, is arranged in the patient accommodation area 12. The patient accommodation area 12 comprises a housing 36 which surrounds the patient accommodation area 12 with an inner wall 37. In the present embodiment, the housing 36 which surrounds the patient accommodation area 12 is constructed integrally with the radio frequency antenna unit 20, in particular with the side of the radio frequency antenna unit 20 which faces the patient accommodation area 12. In an alternative design of the present application, the housing 36 which surrounds the patient accommodation area 12 can also form a separate unit from the radio frequency antenna unit 20.

[0034] The reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display is arranged at an inner wall 37 of a housing 36 surrounding the patient accommodation region 12 which faces upwards towards the patient accommodation region 12. In this way, the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display is arranged on a side of the patient accommodation region 12 which is opposite to a support surface 38 for supporting the patient 13, in particular the head of the patient 13.

[0035] The reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display is particularly thin and flexible. Here, the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display has a shape which matches the surface shape of the inner wall 37 of the housing 36 surrounding the patient accommodation region 12. In particular, in this case, the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display is arranged precisely fitted at the surface shape of the inner wall 37, as this can be seen in a cross section through the patient accommodation region 12 in Figure 2

[0036] The magnetic resonance apparatus 10, in particular the communication unit 28, furthermore has a data transmission unit 39, wherein the data transmission unit 39 is configured for data transmission, in particular visual communication data, to the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display. Figure 1 The data transmission unit 39 here can comprise a wired data transmission and / or a data transmission by means of optical waveguides and / or a data transmission by means of standard radio protocols, for example by means of Bluetooth, and / or an optical data transmission technology, for example by means of infrared data transmission. Furthermore, at any time, other transmission technologies which appear to be meaningful to the person skilled in the art are possible.

[0037] The magnetic resonance apparatus 10, in particular the communication unit 28, furthermore has a display control unit 40. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 40 is integrated within the system control unit 22. In one alternative design of the display control unit 40, the display control unit can also be configured separately from the system control unit 22.

[0038] The communication via the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display is controlled by means of the display control unit 40. Here, the display control unit 40 is configured for, by means of the display control unit 40, stopping the data transmission to the reflective display 35 and / or stopping the signal processing by the reflective display 35 during the detection of magnetic resonance data. The detection of the magnetic resonance data is preferably carried out in a magnetic resonance data detection time window. During this magnetic resonance data detection time window, the data transmission to the reflective display 35 and / or the signal processing by the reflective display 35 is blocked and / or stopped by means of the display control unit 40. Furthermore, during the detection of the magnetic resonance data, in particular in the magnetic resonance data detection time window, static and / or persistent image information is displayed for the patient 13 by means of the reflective display 35 and / or the electronic paper display.​

[0039] The illustrated magnetic resonance device 10 can of course comprise other components which a magnetic resonance device 10 usually has. The general functionality of a magnetic resonance device 10 is furthermore known to the person skilled in the art, such that a detailed description of further components is dispensed with.

[0040] Although the details of the application have been illustrated and described through preferred embodiments, the application is not limited to the disclosed examples and other variations can be deduced therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the application.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance apparatus having a scanner unit, a patient receiving area at least partially surrounded by the scanner unit and a patient display unit arranged within the patient receiving area, characterized in that the patient display unit comprises a reflective display, wherein the magnetic resonance apparatus comprises a display control unit, wherein by means of the display control unit a data transmission to the reflective display and / or a signal processing by the reflective display is stopped during the detection of magnetic resonance data.

2. The magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the reflective display comprises an electronic paper display.

3. The magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the patient receiving area has a housing with an inner wall surrounding the patient receiving area and the reflective display is arranged at the inner wall upwardly surrounding the patient receiving area.

4. The magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the reflective display has a shape and the shape of the reflective display matches a surface shape of the inner wall of the housing surrounding the patient receiving area.

5. The magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a data transmission unit is provided, wherein the data transmission unit is configured for transmitting data to the reflective display.

6. The magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a static display of image information by the reflective display is provided during the detection of magnetic resonance data. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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