Sound playing equipment and magnetic resonance equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to sound transmission equipment used for magnetic resonance equipment, the magnetic resonance equipment is provided with a hard examination bed board, the sound transmission equipment comprises a vibration generating device, the vibration generating device is connected with the bed board, the vibration generating device receives a sound signal, and the sound signal is transmitted to the magnetic resonance equipment; the vibration sensor is used for generating vibration corresponding to the sound signal and transmitting the vibration to the bed board; the sound transmission part is connected with the bed board and used for transmitting vibration of the bed board to the skull of an examined person. According to the present disclosure, a device for transmitting sound to an examinee in a magnetic resonance device is provided, so that the examinee can hear the sound expected to be transmitted during a magnetic resonance examination.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the medical field, specifically to a sound playback device and an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination device. Background Technology

[0002] Due to the presence of gradient coils and cold heads, the ambient noise during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations is significant. To improve patient comfort and avoid the annoyance of excessive noise, MRI systems can be equipped with headphones to isolate external sounds. During MRI examinations, doctors sometimes speak to the patient for guidance and prompts. Furthermore, MRI examinations are often lengthy, and patients spend considerable time in confined spaces; playing music can help alleviate anxiety. Thus, patients undergoing MRI examinations simultaneously require two auditory functions: reducing ambient noise and ensuring the audio signal they hear is received. These two functions are contradictory—one is sound isolation, the other is sound transmission. Finding a way to simultaneously achieve these two conflicting functions is one direction of research in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a sound playback device and a magnetic resonance device incorporating such a sound playback device.

[0004] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sound propagation device is provided for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the MRI device having a rigid examination bed board, characterized in that the sound propagation device comprises: a vibration generating device connected to the bed board, the vibration generating device receiving a sound signal, generating a vibration corresponding to the sound signal, and transmitting the vibration to the bed board; and a sound transmission element connected to the bed board for transmitting the vibration of the bed board to the skull of the examinee.

[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vibration generating device is a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil, and the vibration generating device is located at a first end of the examination bed, the first end being remote from the examination cavity of the magnetic resonance device.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sound signal generating device is connected to the vibration generating device via a power amplifier to convert a sound signal into a corresponding vibration.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the sound transmission device includes a rigid connector and two earmuffs. The rigid connector is connected to the bed board for transmitting vibrations, and the earmuffs are worn on the ears of the subject for sound insulation.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the rigid connector further includes a rigid tab for abutting against the skull of the subject being examined.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the rigid connector includes an earcup connector for connecting the earcups, and the tab is located on the earcup connector.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the sound transmission device further includes a soft pad disposed on the earmuff connector for contacting the head of the subject being examined, and two protrusions are respectively located between the earmuff and the soft pad.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device is provided, characterized in that it comprises: an examination bed having a rigid examination bed board; an examination cavity for performing MRI scanning; and any of the aforementioned sound propagation devices.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a mattress is provided on the bed board, and the sound transmission element is arranged through holes in the mattress.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vibration generating device is located at a first end of the examination bed, which is away from the examination cavity of the magnetic resonance device, and the sound transmitting element is located at a second end of the examination bed, which is the other end away from the first end.

[0014] The sound transmission device and magnetic resonance device provided in this disclosure enable the transmission of desired sound to the examinee during a magnetic resonance examination. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will make the above and other features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent to those skilled in the art. In the drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination device of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the patient wearing earmuffs as an example of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3 The intention of the earmuffs worn by the patient as exemplified by this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following embodiments are provided to further illustrate this disclosure in detail. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0020] In one exemplary embodiment, a sound transmission device is provided. As described in the background art, patients undergoing examinations at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices require both sound insulation and sound transmission. One way to meet this requirement is to use a trachea to connect the sound source and the earmuffs, transmitting sound through the gas in the trachea, while the sound outside the trachea can be isolated using the sound-insulating material of the earmuffs. However, this method has two drawbacks: first, the trachea of ​​the earphone is too long, making it very inconvenient to use; second, this method of using a trachea is not comfortable, as the user feels as if air is being blown into their ears. This embodiment provides another sound transmission device for MRI devices. This sound transmission device utilizes the rigid examination bed plate of the MRI machine as a link in sound transmission, effectively utilizing existing components to achieve better sound transmission. The sound transmission device includes a vibration generating device and a sound transmitting component. The vibration generating device and the sound generating device are electrically connected. The vibration generating device first receives the sound signal generated by the sound generating device and converts the sound signal into corresponding vibrations. To transmit the sound to the patient, the vibration generating device is in contact with the rigid examination bed plate, thereby transmitting the vibration to the bed plate. Next, the bed plate transmits the vibration to the sound transmitting component. The sound transmission component includes a rigid vibration conduction part. One end of this rigid vibration conduction part is connected to the bed board, and the other end is connected to the skull of the examinee. This part transmits vibrations to the skull, and upon receiving the vibrations, the skull uses bone conduction to allow the examinee to hear the sound generated by the sound-generating device, thus completing the sound propagation. In this way, the rigid bed board, a common feature in MRI equipment, is used as a link in the sound propagation process, eliminating the need for a separate component (such as a trachea) and reducing the overall size and space occupied by the sound transmission component. Compared to using a trachea, this bone conduction method is also more comfortable for the examinee. Regarding sound insulation, since this embodiment transmits sound to the examinee's skull without using the ears to receive the sound, it does not occupy ear space. Therefore, the examinee can wear separate earplugs or cotton for sound insulation.

[0021] In one exemplary embodiment, see Figure 1 The vibration generating device is a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6, and it is located at the foot of the examination bed. During magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, the head of the examination bed first enters the examination chamber 1 of the MRI equipment, while the foot of the bed is usually located outside the examination chamber and is less affected by the magnetic field 11. Therefore, the vibration generating device is located at the foot of the bed. The piezoelectric ceramic oscillator generates vibration based on the piezoelectric effect, which can convert mechanical energy and electrical energy into each other. The principle of the coil vibrating in the magnetic field is based on the law of electromagnetic induction. The principles and structures of these components are well-known technologies and will not be elaborated here.

[0022] In one exemplary embodiment, see further. Figure 1 The sound signal generating device (which can be a computer 9, containing programs and sound playback files; the computer also has input devices to receive external input and generate sound files, such as a keyboard or microphone, which the doctor can use to send sound to the patient; of course, the sound signal generating device is not limited to a computer and can also be other audio generating devices, such as a mobile phone or tablet) is connected to a power board 7 and a vibration generating device, a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6. The power board 7 includes a sound card chip 73, an operational amplifier 72, and a power amplifier 71, and a power supply 8 supplies power to the power board 7. The power board 7 converts the sound signal into a signal with sufficient power, where the power amplifier 71 causes the piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 to vibrate sufficiently to ensure that the vibration transmitted to the patient's skull produces clear hearing.

[0023] In one exemplary embodiment, see Figure 1-3 The sound transmission device includes a rigid connector and two earmuffs 51. The rigid connector and the two earmuffs 51 are used to transmit sound and isolate sound, respectively. In this way, the sound transmission device alone can accomplish both the functions of "sound transmission" and "sound isolation," eliminating the need for the patient to use additional earplugs or cotton. The rigid connector is made of, for example, rigid plastic, but metal or other components can also be used, as long as they can transmit vibrations sufficiently. One end of the rigid connector is connected to the rigid bed board 3 of the examination table, and the other end is connected to the skull of the patient 2, for transmitting vibrations from the bed board 3 to the patient 2. The earmuffs 51 are worn on both ears of the patient and include annular portions made of sponge (covered with outer skin) or other sound-insulating materials, arranged around the patient's ears to isolate noise generated by the equipment during the examination. In this way, the sound transmission device transmits the desired sound (such as the doctor's prompts to the examiner or music or stories to soothe the patient) generated by the sound signal generating device, while simultaneously isolating unwanted sound (the larger noise generated by the MRI equipment during operation).

[0024] See also Figure 2-3 The rigid connector mainly consists of two parts: an arc-shaped connecting part (earcup connector 53) connecting the two earcups 51 and two protrusions 54. The function of the protrusions 54 is to abut against the skull of the person being examined. Here, the shape of the protrusions 54 is not limited to... Figure 3The protrusions shown can also include other shapes, such as U-shaped pieces (one arm of the U-shape connects to the earmuff connector 53, and the other arm abuts against the subject's skull), or any other shape that easily transmits vibrations. Furthermore, the number of protrusions is not limited to two; it can be one, three, or more, without limitation. The earmuff connector 53 also has a soft pad 52, which is located in the middle of the arcuate part of the earmuff connector 53 for contact with the subject's head, serving as a buffer against the contact between the rigid earmuff connector 53 and the head. When there are two protrusions 54, the two protrusions 54 are respectively located between the earmuff 51 and the soft pad 52.

[0025] In one exemplary embodiment, see Figure 1 A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device is provided, comprising an examination bed with a rigid bed board 3 and an examination cavity 1 into which a patient 2 is inserted for MRI scanning. It also includes any of the sound propagation devices described in the above embodiments. To ensure patient comfort during the examination, a cushion 4 is provided on the rigid bed board 3. The cushion 4 is soft, and holes 41 are provided in corresponding locations of the rigid connectors, allowing the rigid connectors to pass through the holes 41. The soft cushion 4 does not affect the propagation of vibrations. The holes 41 are positioned such that the patient 2's head can contact the cushion 4 without directly contacting the rigid bed board 3. For example, the holes 41 may be located at the patient 2's neck or on the side of the patient 2's head. The rigid connectors may consist of only two parts: an earmuff connector 53 and a tab 54, in which case the earmuff connector 53 is directly connected to the rigid bed board 3. However, the rigid connector may also include another rigid connecting rod or connector (not shown) for connecting the rigid bed board 3 and the earmuff connector 53. With the rigid connecting rod or connector included, the position of the hole 41 can be more flexible, for example, located on the side of the examinee's head, with the rigid connecting rod or connector extending from the hole 41. Furthermore, the rigid connecting rod or connector may also include multiple movable joints to adjust the position and angle of the earmuff connector 53 within a desired range to accommodate different examinees. Figure 1 As shown, the sound transmission device is located at the head of the examination bed. During the examination, the head of the bed first extends into the examination cavity 1 for inspection.

[0026] The following is combined Figure 1-3An exemplary embodiment will be described in more detail below. To address the technical problems discussed in the background section, one solution is the use of wireless headphones in MRI equipment. Compared to tubular headphones, wireless headphones do not have a long tube, but they also present some drawbacks: 1. Wireless headphones contain magnets, making them unusable in strong magnetic environments; 2. Wireless headphones require battery power, which needs frequent charging, increasing the user's workload; 3. Charged components in MRI products can generate EMC interference, affecting MRI imaging. The third point is particularly unacceptable. In this embodiment, see first... Figure 1 , Figure 1The image shows the patient 2 being examined in examination chamber 1. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed on the patient 2 under the influence of the magnetic field 11. The patient 2 wears earmuffs 51 (which act as earplugs) to block ambient noise generated by the gradient and cold head. The tail of the MRI examination bed typically does not enter the examination chamber 1 containing the magnet, so a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 is fixed to the tail of the bed. The piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 is connected to a power board 7. When the computer 9 in the operating room plays audio files, the audio signal is input to the power board 7. The sound card chip 73 in the power board 7 first reads the digital audio data from the disk, performs decoding and digital-to-analog conversion, and then, after passing through operational amplifier 72 and power amplifier 71, converts the analog or digital circuit signal into an electric field signal controlling the piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or an analog signal controlling the coil. This drives the piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 to generate sound wave vibrations, which propagate through the examination bed board 3. After the examinee 2 puts on the earmuffs 51, the earmuffs 51 have a sound-insulating effect, so the examinee 2's reception of external ambient sound is relatively weak. Simultaneously, when the examinee 2 lies on the examination bed, the mechanical vibration sound waves generated by the piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 travel along the bed board 3 and through the human tissue to stimulate the auditory nerve. At this time, even with the earmuffs 51 on, the examinee 2 can clearly hear the sound signal transmitted from the bed board 3. This embodiment utilizes the principle that sound waves can be conducted in solids, using a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 as the conversion unit between sound waves and mechanical waves. The piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil 6 is attached tightly to the rear end of the examination bed, and the bed board 3 is used as the sound wave conducting material. When the examinee 2 lies on the examination bed, the sound waves are transmitted to the examinee 2 through the bed board 3, and the earmuffs 51 can isolate noise from the outside air. However, when the rigid connector 53 (specifically, a rigid plastic connector can be used) contacts the examination bed board 3, sound waves from the examination bed board 3 are transmitted to the rigid plastic connector through solid-to-solid propagation. At this point, the rigid plastic connector becomes a sound-generating device. It directionally transmits the sound transmitted from the examination bed board 3 to the listener's ear. Additionally, the rigid plastic connector has a protrusion 54 that rests against the cartilage tissue behind the ear, allowing sound waves transmitted to the connector to be directly transmitted to the auditory nerve through the cartilage tissue, thus completing the sound signal transmission. To accommodate different patient head shapes, an adjustment rod 55 is provided to adjust the position of the earmuff 51 on the earmuff connector 53. This embodiment solves the problem of sound playback to the patient 2 undergoing MRI examination. It does not require long ducts, does not occupy bed space, and can be used in many scenarios, such as CT scans and molecular imaging examinations.

[0027] The embodiments of this disclosure have at least the following advantages:

[0028] 1. Sound transmission can be achieved without dragging the trachea during an MRI scan;

[0029] 2. Sound waves propagating through solids are transmitted directly to the auditory nerve system through bone tissue, without causing discomfort to the patient;

[0030] 3. It is a wireless solution and will not interfere with magnetic resonance imaging;

[0031] 4. No batteries are required;

[0032] 5. Doctors have a simple workflow and do not need to put in too much effort to transmit sound;

[0033] 6. Small size, does not take up the area of ​​a hospital bed, and is suitable for multiple scenarios.

[0034] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload-programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0035] The program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0036] In the context of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer-readable storage medium can be a computationally readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0037] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this disclosure can be performed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this is not limited herein. Furthermore, the nouns and pronouns used in this disclosure regarding persons are not limited to specific genders.

[0038] While embodiments or examples of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the methods, systems, and devices described above are merely exemplary embodiments or examples, and the scope of the invention is not limited by these embodiments or examples, but only by the granted claims and their equivalents. Various elements in the embodiments or examples may be omitted or replaced by their equivalents. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in a different order than that described in this disclosure. Importantly, as technology evolves, many elements described herein can be replaced by equivalents that appear after this disclosure.

[0039] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

Claims

1. A sound transmission device for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the MRI device having a rigid examination bed, characterized in that, The sound transmission device includes: A vibration generating device is connected to the bed board. The vibration generating device receives sound signals, generates vibrations corresponding to the sound signals, and transmits the vibrations to the bed board. A sound transmission device, connected to the bed board, is used to transmit vibrations of the bed board to the skull of the examinee.

2. The sound transmission device according to claim 1, wherein: The vibration generating device is a piezoelectric ceramic oscillator or coil, and the vibration generating device is located at the first end of the examination bed, which is away from the examination cavity of the magnetic resonance device.

3. The sound transmission device according to claim 2, further comprising: A sound signal generating device, which is connected to the vibration generating device via a power amplifier, converts the sound signal into a corresponding vibration.

4. The sound transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the sound transmission component includes a rigid connector and two earmuffs, the rigid connector being connected to the bed board for transmitting vibration, and the earmuffs being worn on the ears of the examinee for sound insulation.

5. The sound transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the rigid connector further includes a rigid tab for contacting the skull of the subject being examined.

6. The sound propagation device according to claim 5, wherein the rigid connector includes an earmuff connecting frame for connecting the earmuff, and the protrusion is located on the earmuff connecting frame.

7. The sound transmission device according to claim 6, wherein the sound transmission component further comprises a soft pad disposed on the earmuff connecting frame for contacting the head of the subject being examined, and there are two protrusions respectively located between the earmuff and the soft pad.

8. A magnetic resonance imaging device, characterized in that, include: An examination bed, wherein the examination bed has a rigid examination bed board; The examination chamber is used for magnetic resonance scanning. The sound propagation device according to any one of claims 1-7.

9. The magnetic resonance apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, A mattress is provided on the bed board, and the sound transmission device is arranged through holes in the mattress.

10. The magnetic resonance apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The vibration generating device is located at the first end of the examination bed, which is away from the examination cavity of the magnetic resonance device, and the sound transmitting device is located at the second end of the examination bed, which is the other end away from the first end.

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