Nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-mode synchronous brain imaging system

Abstract

The invention discloses a nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-mode synchronous brain imaging system, and relates to the technical field of brain imaging, the system comprises PET-MR equipment, EEG equipment, a detector head sleeve and an eye tracker, the PET-MR equipment is integrated equipment of the PET equipment and the MR equipment, the EEG equipment comprises EEG receiving equipment and an EEG electrode, the detector head sleeve comprises an NIRS detector and the EEG electrode, and the NIRS detector is connected with the EEG electrode. The PET-MR equipment is used for positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the detector head sleeve is used for collecting electroencephalogram signals and blood flow infrared signals, and the eye tracker is used for collecting eye movement tracks; and the PET equipment, the eye tracker, the NIRS detector and the EEG equipment carry out multi-modal data synchronous acquisition according to a synchronous signal provided by a clock source in the MR equipment. According to the invention, the comprehensiveness and accuracy of brain imaging are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of brain imaging technology, and particularly to a nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system. Background Art

[0002] One of the relatively mature technologies in multi-modal brain imaging systems is the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) / Magnetic Resonance (MR) system. This system organically combines PET and MR technologies and can simultaneously acquire image information in two modalities. PET provides molecular-level information about in-vivo metabolic activities, while MR generates detailed soft tissue images through magnetic fields and radio waves. Compared with PET / CT, PET / MR has more advantages in terms of safety and has demonstrated unique advantages in brain applications such as brain tumor localization, early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, and brain functional area localization. PET / MR provides high-resolution neural structure images and metabolic information at the molecular level, greatly promoting the diagnosis and research of nervous system diseases.

[0003] Electroencephalogram (EEG) devices are used to record the electrical activities of the brain, have extremely high temporal resolution, and can monitor changes in EEG signals in real time. However, the spatial resolution of EEG is relatively low and is easily affected by external electrical interference. Near Infrared Spectrum Instrument (NIRS) devices are used to measure blood oxygenation and blood flow changes in the cerebral cortex, are non-invasive, and are suitable for long-term monitoring. However, due to limited penetration ability, they can only detect superficial brain tissues. There are various single EEG and NIRS devices on the current market, but there are few systems that combine their use, and they are usually produced by different manufacturers, which poses certain challenges in terms of device integration.

[0004] Although each modal technology plays a role in its respective application field, there is a need for a more comprehensive brain function and structure information monitoring solution to improve the accuracy of brain function detection. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The objective of this application is to provide a nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system that can achieve synchronous acquisition of five-modal information, thereby improving the comprehensiveness and accuracy of brain imaging.

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this application provides the following solutions: In a first aspect, the present application provides a nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system includes: a PET-MR device, an EEG device, a detector headgear, and an eye tracker. The PET-MR device is an integrated device of a PET device and an MR device. The EEG device includes an EEG receiving device and EEG electrodes. The detector headgear includes NIRS detectors and the EEG electrodes. The PET-MR device is used for positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The detector headgear is used for collecting electroencephalogram signals and blood flow infrared signals. The eye tracker is used for collecting eye movement trajectories; The PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detectors, and the EEG device perform multi-modal data synchronous acquisition according to the synchronous signal provided by the clock source in the MR device.

[0007] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an EEG box and an EEG bracket. The EEG box is arranged on the EEG bracket. The EEG box is used to support and fix the EEG receiving device. The EEG box and the EEG bracket are fixed in the head direction of the examination bed. The examination bed is the examination bed of the PET-MR device.

[0008] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a head coil. The head coil is used to fix the eye tracker. The head coil is a 64-channel head coil.

[0009] Optionally, the NIRS detectors include NIRS probes and NIRS light sources. A plurality of the NIRS probes, a plurality of the NIRS light sources, and a plurality of the EEG electrodes are distributed on the detector headgear according to a set distribution position.

[0010] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a near-infrared optical fiber and a near-infrared bracket. The near-infrared bracket is used to fix the near-infrared optical fiber. One end of the near-infrared optical fiber is connected to the NIRS probe, and the other end is connected to the NIRS light source.

[0011] Optionally, the NIRS detectors further include an EEG channel and a NIRS channel. The EEG channel is used to transmit the signals collected by the EEG electrodes. The NIRS channel is used to transmit the signals collected by the NIRS probes.

[0012] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a first conversion module and a second conversion module connected in sequence. The first conversion module is connected to the MR device. The first conversion module is configured to extract the clock signal of the clock source and convert the clock signal into a TTL signal. The conversion module is configured to convert the TTL signal received in real time into a DB25 interface signal, and transmit the DB25 interface signal as the synchronization signal to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detector, and the EEG device through the DB25 interface.

[0013] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a DB25 distributor. The input end of the DB25 distributor is connected to the DB25 interface of the second conversion module, and the output ends of the DB25 distributor are respectively connected to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detector, and the EEG device.

[0014] Optionally, the frequency at which the first conversion module extracts the clock signal is once every 0.1 ms.

[0015] Optionally, the nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an imaging platform. The imaging platform is respectively connected to the PET-MR device, the EEG device, the detector headgear, and the eye tracker. The imaging platform is configured to receive multi-modal data collected synchronously.

[0016] According to the specific embodiments provided by the present application, the following technical effects are disclosed in the present application: The present application provides a nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system. Integrated acquisition of electroencephalogram and near-infrared is achieved according to the detector headgear. Five-modal acquisition is achieved by the PET-MR device, the detector headgear, and the eye tracker. Synchronous acquisition of the five modalities is achieved according to the synchronization signal provided by the clock source in the MR device, improving the comprehensiveness and accuracy of brain imaging. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 2 It is a top view of the structure of the detector headgear and the eye tracker provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the distribution of EEG electrodes and NIRS detectors on the detector headgear provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the distribution of EEG channels and NIRS channels provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the wearing of the detector headgear provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the principle of synchronous acquisition of five modalities provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Reference numerals: 1 - MR device, 2 - PET device, 3 - EEG box, 4 - EEG bracket, 5 - eye tracker, 6 - head coil, 7 - detector headgear, 8 - near-infrared optical fiber, 9 - near-infrared bracket, 10 - NIRS probe, 11 - EEG electrode, 12 - NIRS light source, 13 - EEG channel, 14 - NIRS channel. Detailed implementation manners

[0025] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0026] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation manners.

[0027] The present application provides a nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown. The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system includes: a PET-MR device, an EEG device, a detector headgear 7, and an eye tracker 5. The PET-MR device is an integrated device of a PET device 2 and an MR device 1. The EEG device includes an EEG receiving device and an EEG electrode 11. The detector headgear 7 includes an NIRS detector and the EEG electrode 11. The PET-MR device is used for positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The detector headgear 7 is used for collecting electroencephalogram signals and blood flow infrared signals. The eye tracker 5 is used for collecting eye movement trajectories (EyeTrack, ET).

[0028] The PET device 2, the eye tracker 5, the NIRS detector, and the EEG device perform multi-modal data synchronous acquisition according to the synchronous signal provided by the clock source within the MR device 1.

[0029] The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an EEG box 3 and an EEG support 4. The EEG box 3 is disposed on the EEG support 4. The EEG box 3 is used to support and fix the EEG receiving device. The EEG box 3 and the EEG support 4 are fixed in the head direction of the examination bed, and the examination bed is the examination bed of the PET-MR device.

[0030] The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a head coil 6. The head coil 6 is used to fix the eye tracker 5. The head coil 6 is a 64-channel head coil. The eye tracker 5 is used to collect and record the eye movement trajectory in real time. The eye tracker 5 is connected to the integrated PET-MR device.

[0031] Regarding the electromagnetic interference problem, in the nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system of the present application, the power supply first needs to be filtered before powering each component. This design mainly considers the electromagnetic compatibility of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal to prevent artifacts on the image caused by power supply interference. The MR device 1 is used to collect MRI signals. Since the ET monitoring camera is placed on the 64-channel head coil, in order to facilitate installation on the coil, it is necessary to ensure its miniaturization as much as possible. Its power supply unit is mainly placed on the system peripheral adapter component. The power supply of the PET device is also independent, also considering the electromagnetic compatibility problem to avoid the power supply of the PET device interfering with the signal acquisition of the MRI signal and other peripheral components (independent power supply to avoid signal crosstalk).

[0032] Based on the above considerations, the present application reduces signal interference. In addition, the EEG device, the eye tracker, and the NIRS detector need to be able to work normally, stably, and reliably in an electromagnetic and ionization environment and have a certain lifespan. The EEG device, the eye tracker, and the NIRS detector transmit the collected signals to their respective corresponding front-end data processing units for data processing to reduce signal interference (independent signal transmission to avoid signal crosstalk).

[0033] The collected MRI signals, EEG, and NIRS information are uploaded to the MRI reconstruction computer for reconstruction. The eye movement images collected by the eye tracker are uploaded to the image processing computer for calculation of the eye movement position. The console can retrieve the data or images of different subsystems for analysis and processing.

[0034] The electronic clock signals of the PET device and the EEG device are very close to the frequency of the MRI signal. In the device design process of this application, the system clock frequency will be precisely controlled to avoid signal crosstalk.

[0035] This detector headgear 7 is actually an integrated EEG / near-infrared detector headgear. Both EEG and NIRS are non-invasive acquisition methods and can be made into a wearable integrated headgear. Their principles are different, and the degrees of influence in a magnetic field environment are different. Compared with EEG, NIRS has strong anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities (such as electrooculogram, electromyogram, power frequency interference, surrounding electromagnetic interference, etc.), and the signal is more stable. The headgear designed in this application will reduce signal interference according to the diameters and spacings of the NIRS probes and EEG electrodes.

[0036] The head coil 6 is used to collect MRI data. The 64-channel MRI coil has higher resolution, greatly improving the imaging time and spatial resolution.

[0037] Traditional head magnetic resonance imaging uses 8 - 32 channels. By specially customizing a 64-channel head coil and developing a multi-layer acceleration support technology, multi-layer seamless scanning and whole-brain coverage are achieved, and high-resolution MRI images are obtained simultaneously. The higher-resolution 64-channel MRI head coil will support a multi-layer acceleration factor of up to 7 times, achieving whole-brain coverage without layer spacing. Compared with traditional non-multi-layer acceleration scanning devices, the time resolution changes from 2 s to 0.5 s, and the spatial resolution changes from 0.5 - 1.0 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0038] As Figure 3 shown, the NIRS detector includes NIRS probes 10 and NIRS light sources 12. A plurality of the NIRS probes 10, a plurality of the NIRS light sources 12, and a plurality of the EEG electrodes 11 are distributed on the detector headgear 7 according to the set distribution positions.

[0039] The nuclear magnetic resonance optoelectronic multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a near-infrared optical fiber 8 and a near-infrared bracket 9. The near-infrared bracket 9 is used to fix the near-infrared optical fiber 8. One end of the near-infrared optical fiber 8 is connected to the NIRS probe 10, and the other end is connected to the NIRS light source 12. Through precise optical fiber positioning and a stable near-infrared bracket 9 design, the NIRS device can provide high-quality spectral data. The overall design adopts a modular and compact layout to achieve seamless integration of multiple imaging technologies, so as to improve the overall efficiency of the system and the user operation experience.

[0040] As Figure 4 shown, the NIRS detector further includes an EEG channel 13 and an NIRS channel 14. The EEG channel 13 is used to transmit the signals collected by the EEG electrodes 11, and the NIRS channel 14 is used to transmit the signals collected by the NIRS probes 10.

[0041] The detector headgear 7 is used to integrate the NIRS detector and the EEG electrodes 11 into a wearable integrated headgear, improving the usability of the device and enhancing the spatial localization and analysis capabilities of electroencephalogram signals and blood flow infrared signals. Therefore, according to the diameters and spacings of the NIRS probe 10 and the EEG electrodes 11, the present application designs a detector headgear 7 capable of simultaneously collecting EEG and NIRS data, ensuring the optimal layout of the two sensors, so as to obtain neuroactivity information of different dimensions in the same brain region simultaneously. The head of the test subject wearing the detector headgear 7 is as Figure 5 shown.

[0042] The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a first conversion module and a second conversion module connected in sequence. The first conversion module is connected to the MR device. The first conversion module is used to extract the clock signal of the clock source and convert the clock signal into a Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) signal. The conversion module is used to convert the TTL signal received in real time into a DB25 interface signal and transmit the DB25 interface signal as the synchronous signal to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detector, and the EEG device through the DB25 interface. The synchronization principle is as Figure 6 shown. Through this synchronization method, it is possible to synchronously start the data acquisition process under the same time reference, ensuring the time alignment of different modality data.

[0043] The TTL signal has strong anti-interference ability and high transmission speed, and is suitable for transmission in complex electronic systems. The DB25 interface is a widely used multi-pin interface that can support the synchronous transmission of multi-channel signals. In the DB25 interface, the clock signal is assigned to specific pins to ensure signal integrity and transmission reliability. The synchronous signal transmitted from the DB25 interface is distributed to other imaging devices (such as PET devices, EEG devices, NIRS devices, eye trackers), and these devices adjust the start time of their data acquisition by receiving the above synchronous signal.

[0044] The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a DB25 distributor. The input end of the DB25 distributor is connected to the DB25 interface of the second conversion module, and the output ends of the DB25 distributor are respectively connected to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detector, and the EEG device.

[0045] The frequency at which the first conversion module extracts the clock signal is once every 0.1 ms.

[0046] The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an imaging platform, which is respectively connected to the PET-MR device, the EEG device, the detector headgear and the eye tracker. The imaging platform is used to receive multi-modal data collected synchronously, fuse the multi-modal data collected synchronously, and achieve high-quality brain imaging.

[0047] This application integrates multiple modalities into one imaging platform, improving the operation efficiency of the system and the accuracy of data collection.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, a real-time synchronous acquisition method based on the nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system includes the following steps.

[0049] Step 1: Start the system, input the radio frequency signal of the MR device into the coincidence control board (CCB) of the PET device, and record it in the raw data of the PET device. At the same time, input the trigger information of the physiological signal into the raw data of the MR device and the PET device, so as to achieve simultaneous imaging of the MR device and the PET device with sub-millisecond high temporal accuracy.

[0050] Step 2: At the same time, in the system of this application, through the timestamps of the ET control system, the NIRS control system and the EEG control system, automatically synchronize the clock with the CCB every 0.1 ms, so as to achieve simultaneous imaging with a temporal synchronization accuracy of 0.1 ms for all modalities.

[0051] Step 3: Through the developed multi-modal imaging fusion and post-processing software, integrate different forms of information and / or images of PET, MRI, EEG, ET and NIRS (such as PET molecular functional images, MRI brain structure and functional images, EEG electrical activity information, ET eye movement information, etc.), and obtain high-quality, efficient, temporally precise and spatially precise fusion results of the integrated and synchronous acquisition of the five modalities of PET, MR, EEG, NIRS and ET.

[0052] This application develops an integrated EEG / NIRS detector headset and a dedicated near-infrared probe for MR; it breaks through the precise timing control and clock synchronization in a highly heterogeneous multi-modal imaging system to ensure the accurate integration of multi-modal information; combines the advantages of each modality for joint reconstruction, improves the spatial and temporal resolution of images, develops supporting post-processing software, and realizes the organic fusion of multi-modal images. This application achieves the integrated fusion of five advanced technologies, precise data synchronization, real-time fusion of multi-modal data, reduction of system complexity, and optimization of the user interface. It enables the system to obtain multi-dimensional brain activity information through a single scan, including comprehensive data such as molecular targets, neural structures, neural discharges, pupil movements, and microcirculation, significantly enhancing the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and timeliness of brain imaging. This breakthrough technology not only provides a powerful tool for the early diagnosis, precise treatment, and prognosis evaluation of brain diseases, but also opens up new possibilities in fields such as neuroscience research, cognitive science exploration, and brain-computer interface development, and is expected to drive significant progress in brain science research and clinical applications.

[0053] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of concise description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, it should be considered as the scope described in this specification.

[0054] Specific examples are used in this article to elaborate on the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and its core idea of this application; at the same time, for those of ordinary skill in the art, based on the idea of this application, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scopes. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation to this application.

Claims

1. A nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system, characterized in that, The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system includes: a PET-MR device, an EEG device, a detector headgear, and an eye tracker. The PET-MR device is an integrated device of a PET device and an MR device. The EEG device includes an EEG receiving device and EEG electrodes. The detector headgear includes NIRS detectors and the EEG electrodes. The PET-MR device is used for positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The detector headgear is used for collecting electroencephalogram signals and blood flow infrared signals. The eye tracker is used for collecting eye movement trajectories; The PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detectors, and the EEG device perform multimodal data synchronous acquisition according to the synchronous signal provided by the clock source in the MR device.

2. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 1, wherein The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an EEG box and an EEG bracket. The EEG box is arranged on the EEG bracket. The EEG box is used to support and fix the EEG receiving device. The EEG box and the EEG bracket are fixed in the head direction of the examination bed, and the examination bed is the examination bed of the PET-MR device.

3. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a head coil. The head coil is used to fix the eye tracker, and the head coil is a 64-channel head coil.

4. The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 1, wherein The NIRS detectors include NIRS probes and NIRS light sources. Multiple NIRS probes, multiple NIRS light sources, and multiple EEG electrodes are distributed on the detector headgear according to the set distribution positions.

5. The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 4, characterized in that The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a near-infrared optical fiber and a near-infrared bracket. The near-infrared bracket is used to fix the near-infrared optical fiber. One end of the near-infrared optical fiber is connected to the NIRS probe, and the other end is connected to the NIRS light source.

6. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 4, wherein The NIRS detectors further include an EEG channel and a NIRS channel. The EEG channel is used to transmit the signals collected by the EEG electrodes, and the NIRS channel is used to transmit the signals collected by the NIRS probes.

7. The nuclear magnetic optoelectronic multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a first conversion module and a second conversion module connected in sequence. The first conversion module is connected to the MR device. The first conversion module is used to extract the clock signal of the clock source, convert the clock signal into a TTL signal. The conversion module is used to convert the TTL signal received in real time into a DB25 interface signal, and transmit the DB25 interface signal as the synchronous signal to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detectors, and the EEG device through the DB25 interface.

8. The nuclear magnetic optoelectronic multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric, and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system further includes a DB25 distributor. The input end of the DB25 distributor is connected to the DB25 interface of the second conversion module, and the output ends of the DB25 distributor are respectively connected to the PET device, the eye tracker, the NIRS detectors, and the EEG device.

9. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 7, wherein The frequency at which the first conversion module extracts the clock signal is once every 0.1 ms.

10. The nuclear magnetic, photoelectric and multimodal synchronous brain imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nuclear magnetic photoelectric multi-modal synchronous brain imaging system further includes an imaging platform, which is respectively connected to the PET-MR device, the EEG device, the detector headgear and the eye tracker. The imaging platform is used to receive multi-modal data collected synchronously.

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