Medical information processing device and medical information processing method

Abstract

The objective is to appropriately manage the charge state of the battery in a wireless RF coil, which is a wireless version of the RF coil used in a magnetic resonance imaging system. [Solution] The medical information processing device of the embodiment is a medical imaging diagnostic device that irradiates a subject with RF pulses to take a tomographic image, and is a medical information processing device that manages the charge state of a battery provided in a wireless RF coil, and comprises an imaging condition acquisition unit, a power consumption estimation unit, a battery information acquisition unit, and an imaging determination unit. The imaging condition acquisition unit acquires the imaging conditions when taking the tomographic image. The power consumption estimation unit estimates the power consumption of the battery when taking the tomographic image based on the imaging conditions. The battery information acquisition unit acquires battery information, including at least the power capacity stored in the battery. The imaging determination unit determines whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil based on the power consumption and the battery information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a medical information processing apparatus and a medical information processing method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus has been used as a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus for performing diagnosis using images. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an "MRI apparatus") is an apparatus that captures a tomographic image of a subject by receiving an MR signal excited by an RF (Radio Frequency) pulse irradiated in a strong magnetic field with an RF coil. Conventional RF coils receive power supply from a control device by wire and exchange control signals and MR signals with the control device by wire. In recent years, in an MRI apparatus, wirelessization of an RF coil for receiving an MR signal has been studied.

[0003] By the way, even when an RF coil is made wireless, it is still necessary to supply power to this wireless RF coil (hereinafter referred to as "wireless RF coil"). One possible configuration for supplying power to a wireless RF coil is to equip it with a battery (secondary battery) such as a nickel-metal hydride battery. Although a battery can supply power up to the amount it has stored, it is necessary to recharge it when the stored power becomes low or runs out. Moreover, since MRI devices require a long time to acquire tomographic images of the subject, it may not be possible to fully charge the battery by simply charging it between scans. Furthermore, preparing multiple wireless RF coils with fully charged batteries in order to allow those performing MRI examinations (doctors, technicians, etc.) to perform examinations with peace of mind is not necessarily an efficient method. In addition, there are factors that can accelerate the degradation of a battery, such as repeated charging and discharging, or charging it when it already has a certain amount of charge stored. Therefore, in MRI devices that receive MR signals using wireless RF coils, it becomes necessary to manage the power state stored in the battery of the wireless RF coil, that is, the battery's charge level. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-158589 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-030023 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The problem that the embodiments disclosed herein and in the drawings aim to solve is to suitably manage the charge state of the battery of a wireless RF coil when the RF coil of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is made wireless. However, the problem that the embodiments disclosed herein and in the drawings aim to solve is not limited to the above problem. Problems corresponding to the effects of each configuration shown in the embodiments described later can also be positioned as other problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The medical information processing device of the embodiment is a medical imaging diagnostic device that takes tomographic images by irradiating a subject placed on a top plate with RF pulses, and is a medical information processing device that manages the charge state of a battery provided in a wireless RF coil, and comprises an imaging condition acquisition unit, a power consumption estimation unit, a battery information acquisition unit, and an imaging determination unit. The imaging condition acquisition unit acquires the imaging conditions when taking the tomographic image. The power consumption estimation unit estimates the power consumption of the battery when taking the tomographic image based on the imaging conditions. The battery information acquisition unit acquires battery information, including at least the power capacity stored in the battery. The imaging determination unit determines whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil based on the power consumption and the battery information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a medical image diagnostic device equipped with a medical information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a medical information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] A sequence chart showing an example of the timing when taking images in a medical image diagnostic device equipped with a medical information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of a setting image for setting the shooting conditions for the shooting timing in a medical image diagnostic device equipped with a medical information processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5]A diagram showing an example of a setting image for setting the shooting conditions for selecting an RF coil in a medical image diagnostic device equipped with a medical information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating a procedure for photographing a subject in a medical image diagnostic device equipped with a medical information processing device according to an embodiment, and an example of the processing flow in the medical information processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The medical information processing device and medical information processing method of the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The medical information processing device according to the embodiment is applied, for example, to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device (hereinafter referred to as "MRI device").

[0009] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging diagnostic device that takes tomographic images of a subject (e.g., the human body) by applying a strong magnetic field to the subject and irradiating it with RF (Radio Frequency) pulses, receiving electromagnetic waves generated from hydrogen nuclei in the subject's body due to the nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon using an RF coil, and reconstructing the nuclear magnetic resonance signal (hereinafter referred to as the "MR signal") based on the received electromagnetic waves. MRI devices can also take MR images of a subject by reconstructing the MR signal based on electromagnetic waves received by a wireless RF coil (hereinafter referred to as the "wireless RF coil") attached to the subject. By displaying the MR image of the subject, the person performing the MRI examination (such as a doctor or technician) can visually confirm whether or not there is a lesion in the subject.

[0010] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a medical imaging diagnostic device (MRI device) equipped with a medical information processing device according to an embodiment. The MRI device 1 includes, for example, a stand device 10, a patient bed device 20, a control device 30, and a console device 40. In this embodiment, the control device 30 and the console device 40 are described as being separate from the stand device 10, but the stand device 10 may include some or all of the components of the control device 30 and the console device 40.

[0011] MRI device 1 is an example of a "medical imaging diagnostic device".

[0012] The mounting device 10 includes, for example, a static magnetic field magnet 12, a gradient magnetic field coil 14, and an RF coil 16. Furthermore, the mounting device 10 includes, for example, a wireless RF coil 18 that can be attached to the subject P as a component of the RF coil 16.

[0013] The static magnetic field magnet 12 is a magnet formed in a hollow, approximately cylindrical shape. The static magnetic field magnet 12 generates a uniform static magnetic field in its internal space. The static magnetic field magnet 12 can be, for example, a permanent magnet or a superconducting magnet. If the static magnetic field magnet 12 is a superconducting magnet, it generates a static magnetic field by receiving power from a static magnetic field power source (not shown).

[0014] The gradient coil 14 is a hollow, substantially cylindrical coil. The gradient coil 14 is positioned inside the static magnetic field magnet 12. The gradient coil 14 is formed by combining three coils corresponding to the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes. Each of the three coils corresponding to the direction of each axis receives current individually from the gradient power supply 32, generating a gradient magnetic field in the imaging space (i.e., inside the bore) of the MRI device 1 into which the subject P is introduced, with the magnetic field strength changing along the X, Y, and Z axes. In this embodiment, the central axis of the rigging device 10 or the longitudinal direction of the top plate 24 of the patient device 20 is defined as the Y-axis direction, the axis horizontal to the floor of the room in which the MRI device 1 is installed is defined as the X-axis direction, the axis perpendicular to the Y-axis direction is defined as the X-axis direction, the axis perpendicular to the Y-axis direction is defined as the X-axis direction, the axis perpendicular to the floor is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the floor is defined as the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the Y-axis direction is the same direction as the static magnetic field.

[0015] Here, the gradient magnetic fields generated by the gradient coil 14 along the X, Y, and Z axes correspond to, for example, a slice selection gradient magnetic field, a phase encoding gradient magnetic field, and a readout gradient magnetic field, respectively. The slice selection gradient magnetic field is used to determine an arbitrary imaging cross-section in the MRI device 1. The phase encoding gradient magnetic field is used to change the phase of the MR signal according to the spatial position in the MRI device 1. The readout gradient magnetic field is used to change the frequency of the MR signal according to the spatial position in the MRI device 1.

[0016] The RF coil 16 is a whole-body coil housed within the rigging device 10 and configured to surround the subject P in the imaging space. The RF coil 16 receives RF pulses from the transmitting circuit 33 and generates a high-frequency magnetic field. The RF coil 16 receives MR signals emitted from the subject P due to the influence of the high-frequency magnetic field. Upon receiving an MR signal, the RF coil 16 outputs the received MR signal to the receiving circuit 34. The RF coil 16 may transmit RF pulses and receive MR signals using different RF coil configurations, or it may use the same RF coil configuration, i.e., a configuration that serves both transmitting and receiving. The RF coil 16 may be, for example, a coil array composed of multiple coil elements (a so-called phased-array coil).

[0017] The wireless RF coil 18 is a wireless local coil attached to the subject P. The wireless RF coil 18 comes in various shapes for each imaging target site (hereinafter referred to as "imaging site") of the subject P. FIG. 1 shows an example of the wireless RF coil 18 attached to the torso of the subject P. The wireless RF coil 18 receives the MR signal emitted from the subject P under the influence of the high-frequency magnetic field generated by the RF coil 16 in a coil part not shown, and transmits the received MR signal to the transceiver circuit 35 by wireless communication. The wireless RF coil 18 includes a battery (secondary battery) not shown, such as a nickel-hydrogen battery, as the power source for each component constituting the wireless RF coil 18. Further, the wireless RF coil 18 includes, for example, a communication interface not shown for wireless communication with the transceiver circuit 35 and a communication antenna. The wireless RF coil 18 may also have a coil part not shown, for example, a coil array (phased array coil) composed of a plurality of coil elements. In this case, the wireless RF coil 18 may sequentially transmit the MR signals received by each coil element to the transceiver circuit 35 by wireless communication through one communication interface (not shown), or communication interfaces not shown corresponding to each coil element may sequentially transmit the MR signals received by the corresponding coil elements to the transceiver circuit 35 by wireless communication. The wireless RF coil 18 may include an analog-to-digital converter (AD converter) not shown that converts the received MR signal (analog signal) into digital-value data (hereinafter referred to as "MR data"). In this case, the wireless RF coil 18 transmits the MR data converted by the AD converter not shown to the transceiver circuit 35 by wireless communication.

[0018] The wireless RF coil 18 is an example of a "RF coil (wireless RF coil)".

[0019] The bed device 20 is a device that moves the top plate 24 on which the subject P to be imaged is placed, thereby introducing the subject P into the interior of the gantry device 10, that is, into the bore of the gantry device 10. In other words, the bed device 20 is a device that moves the top plate 24 so that the imaging part of the subject P is in a position suitable for imaging within the cavity of the static magnetic field magnet 12, the gradient magnetic field coil 14, and the RF coil 16, that is, within the imaging aperture, i.e., within the magnetic field generated. The bed device 20 includes, for example, a base 22 and a top plate 24.

[0020] The base 22 moves the top plate 24 on which the subject P is placed in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction and Y-axis direction) or the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by the operation of a bed driving device (not shown) that operates according to a control signal output by the bed control circuit 36. The base 22 includes a housing that supports the top plate 24 movably. The bed driving device (not shown) includes, for example, a motor and an actuator. The bed driving device (not shown) may move not only the top plate 24 but also the base 22 itself in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the top plate 24. When the gantry device 10 is configured to be movable in the Y-axis direction, the bed driving device (not shown) may operate to move the gantry device 10 so that the subject P is introduced into the interior of the gantry device 10. When both the gantry device 10 and the top plate 24 and the base 22 are configured to be movable, the bed driving device (not shown) may operate to move each of the gantry device 10, the top plate 24, and the base 22 so that the subject P is introduced into the interior of the gantry device 10.

[0021] The top plate 24 is a plate-like member on which the subject P is placed. The top plate 24 is made of a material with low conductivity (less affected by the magnetic field), such as glass fiber, for example.

[0022] The control device 30 controls the operation of the frame device 10 and the bed device 20 in response to control from the console device 40. The control device 30 includes, for example, a sequence control circuit 31, a gradient magnetic field power supply 32, a transmitting circuit 33, a receiving circuit 34, a transmitting / receiving circuit 35, and a bed control circuit 36. The control device 30 may be located within the frame device 10 or within the console device 40.

[0023] The sequence control circuit 31 is a sequencer that performs imaging of a subject P by driving the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, the receiving circuit 34, and the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 based on sequence information set by the console device 40. The sequence control circuit 31 may be a processing circuit having a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The sequence information is information that defines the procedure for performing imaging processing to photograph a subject P in the MRI device 1. The sequence information defines a procedure in advance for each imaging process performed in the MRI device 1. For example, the sequence information shows the operation and timing of the operation of the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, the receiving circuit 34, and the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 when photographing a subject P in chronological order (hereinafter referred to as "events"). More specifically, the sequence information shows as events the magnitude and timing of the current supplied to the gradient coil 14 by the gradient power supply 32, the strength of the RF pulse transmitted (supplied) to the RF coil 16 by the transmitting circuit 33, the timing of the RF pulse supply, and the duration of the RF pulse supply. Furthermore, the sequence information indicates events such as the timing for the receiving circuit 34 to receive (detect) the MR signal output by the RF coil 16, the period for receiving (detecting) the MR signal, the timing for the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 to receive (detect) the MR signal (or MR data) output by the wireless RF coil 18, and the period for receiving (detecting) the MR signal. The sequence control circuit 31 drives the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, the receiving circuit 34, and the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 by sequentially executing the events indicated in the sequence information at timings based on a predetermined clock signal. When the receiving circuit 34 or the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 receives the MR signal, it transfers the received MR signal (which may also be MR data representing the MR signal) to the console device 40. The clock signal is generated, for example, by a clock generation circuit (not shown) including a clock oscillator, and represents the timing used as a reference for the operation of imaging the subject P in the MRI device 1. The clock signal is supplied to each component of the control device 30.The sequence control circuit 31 executes events sequentially based on the timing of the clock signal, causing the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, and the receiving circuit 34 to operate synchronously. Furthermore, the sequence control circuit 31 causes the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 to transmit the clock signal and data representing events for driving the wireless RF coil 18 (hereinafter referred to as "event data"). The clock signal is the clock signal used (referenced) by the sequence control circuit 31 when driving the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, the receiving circuit 34, and the transmitting / receiving circuit 35. By operating the wireless RF coil 18 based on the transmitted clock signal, the wireless RF coil 18 also operates synchronously with the gradient power supply 32, the transmitting circuit 33, and the receiving circuit 34.

[0024] The gradient power supply 32 supplies current individually to each of the three coils in the gradient coil 14, corresponding to the direction of each axis.

[0025] The transmitting circuit 33 supplies RF pulses to the RF coil 16. The RF pulses supplied by the transmitting circuit 33 to the RF coil 16 are pulses corresponding to the Larmor frequency, which is determined by the type of atomic nucleus being targeted and the strength of the magnetic field.

[0026] The receiving circuit 34 detects the MR signal output by the RF coil 16 and generates MR data representing the detected MR signal. The receiving circuit 34 generates the MR data, for example, by converting the MR signal into digital data. The receiving circuit 34 outputs the generated MR data to the sequence control circuit 31. The sequence control circuit 31 transfers the MR data output by the receiving circuit 34 to the console device 40.

[0027] The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 transmits a clock signal and event data to the wireless RF coil 18 in response to control from the sequence control circuit 31. The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 receives the MR signal transmitted by the wireless RF coil 18. The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 generates MR data, for example, by converting the MR signal into digital data. If the wireless RF coil 18 is configured to transmit MR data, the transmitting / receiving circuit 35 receives the MR data transmitted by the wireless RF coil 18. The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 uses a wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi, to transmit the clock signal and event data and to receive the MR signal and MR data. The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 includes, for example, an antenna (not shown) that corresponds to the wireless communication standard. The transmitting / receiving circuit 35 outputs the generated or received MR data to the sequence control circuit 31.

[0028] The bed control circuit 36 ​​outputs a control signal to a bed drive device (not shown) provided in the bed device 20 that moves the base 22 and the top plate 24 on which the subject P is placed, in response to control from the console device 40. The bed control circuit 36 ​​may be provided in the pedestal device 10 or in the bed device 20. In this case, the bed control circuit 36 ​​outputs a control signal to a bed drive device (not shown) provided in the bed device 20 in response to an input signal input from an input interface (not shown) provided in the device in which the bed control circuit 36 ​​is provided, when the operator of the MRI device 1, such as a doctor or technician, or the person performing the MRI examination (hereinafter referred to as "the person performing the MRI examination") operates the input interface (not shown) provided in the device in which the bed control circuit 36 ​​is provided, in response to an input signal input from the input interface (not shown).

[0029] The console device 40 controls the entire MRI device 1 and collects MR data. The console device 40 includes, for example, a memory 41, a display 42, an input interface 43, and a processing circuit 50.

[0030] Memory 41 can be implemented using semiconductor memory elements such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or flash memory, or a hard disk drive (HDD), or an optical disc. Memory 41 stores data such as MR data output by the sequence control circuit 31 and reconstructed images (MRI images) generated based on the MR data. This data may be stored in an external memory that the MRI device 1 can communicate with, rather than in memory 41 (or in addition to memory 41). The external memory may be a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or a cloud server that manages the external memory and accepts read / write requests, thereby being controlled by the cloud server. The external memory can be implemented using a system called PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems). PACS is a medical image management system that systematically stores medical images taken by various medical imaging diagnostic devices.

[0031] The display 42 displays various types of information. For example, the display 42 displays medical images generated by the processing circuit 50, or GUI (Graphical User Interface) images that accept various operations from the person performing the MRI examination. The display 42 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display. The display 42 may be mounted on the stand device 10. The display 42 may be a desktop type, or it may be a display device (for example, a tablet terminal) that can communicate wirelessly with the main unit of the console device 40.

[0032] The input interface 43 receives various input operations from the MRI examiner and outputs an electrical signal indicating the content of the received input operation to the processing circuit 50. For example, the input interface 43 receives input operations such as the acquisition conditions when acquiring MR data (i.e., the imaging conditions when photographing the subject P), the generation conditions when generating MR data, the reconstruction conditions when reconstructing reconstructed images, and the image processing conditions when generating post-processed images from reconstructed images. The input interface 43 can be implemented by, for example, a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, trackball, switch, button, joystick, camera, infrared sensor, microphone, etc. If the input interface 43 is a touch panel, the display 42 may be formed integrally with the input interface 43. The input interface 43 may be provided on the rigging device 10. The input interface 43 may also be implemented by a display device (e.g., a tablet terminal) that can communicate wirelessly with the main body of the console device 40. In this specification, the input interface 43 is not limited to those equipped with physical operating components such as the mouse or keyboard described above. For example, an electrical signal processing circuit that receives an electrical signal corresponding to an input operation from an external input device provided separately from the console device 40 and outputs this electrical signal to the processing circuit 50 is also an example of an input interface 43.

[0033] The processing circuit 50 controls the overall operation of the MRI device 1. The processing circuit 50 sets sequence information in the sequence control circuit 31. The processing circuit 50 performs functions such as coil determination function 51, acquisition function 52, reconstruction processing function 53, image processing function 54, and output control function 55. The processing circuit 50 realizes these functions, for example, by having a hardware processor provided in a computer device execute a program (software) stored in the memory 41, which is a memory device (storage circuit).

[0034] A hardware processor refers to circuits such as CPUs, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), LSIs (Large Scale Integration), SOCs (System on Chips), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and programmable logic devices (e.g., Simple Programmable Logic Devices (SPLDs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)). Instead of storing the program in memory 41, the hardware processor may be configured to directly embed the program within its circuitry. In this case, the hardware processor performs its functions by reading and executing the program embedded within the circuitry. A hardware processor is not limited to being configured as a single circuit; it may also be configured as a single hardware processor by combining multiple independent circuits to implement each function. Multiple components may be integrated into a single hardware processor to implement each function. Multiple components may be incorporated into a single dedicated LSI to implement each function. Here, the program (software) may be stored in advance in a storage device that constitutes memory 41, such as a semiconductor memory element like ROM, RAM, or flash memory, or a hard disk drive (HDD) (a storage device equipped with a non-transient storage medium), or it may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transient storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the storage device of the console device 40 when the storage medium is inserted into a drive device provided in the console device 40. The program (software) may also be downloaded in advance from another computer device via a network (not shown) and installed in the storage device of the console device 40.

[0035] Each component of the console device 40 or the processing circuit 50 may be distributed and implemented by multiple hardware components. The processing circuit 50 may not be implemented in the configuration of the console device 40, but rather by a processing unit that can communicate with the console device 40. The processing unit may be, for example, a workstation connected to one MRI device, or a device (e.g., a cloud server) connected to multiple MRI devices that performs processing equivalent to that of the processing circuit 50 described below in a batch. In other words, the configuration of this embodiment can also be implemented as an MRI examination system (medical diagnostic system) in which an MRI device and other processing units are connected via a network.

[0036] The coil determination function 51 manages the charge state of the battery in the wireless RF coil 18. When acquiring MR images of a subject P using the wireless RF coil 18 in the MRI device 1, the coil determination function 51 estimates the power usage capacity of the battery in the wireless RF coil 18, that is, the amount of power consumed by the battery during imaging, and determines whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 can be performed without problems. More specifically, the coil determination function 51 estimates the power consumption of the battery in the wireless RF coil 18 based on, for example, the imaging conditions when imaging subject P and information about the battery in the wireless RF coil 18 (hereinafter referred to as "battery information"). By comparing the estimated power consumption of the battery with at least the power capacity currently stored in the battery, in other words, the remaining power of the battery, the coil determination function 51 determines whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible. The coil determination function 51 presents (informs) the result of the determination of whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible (determination result) to the person performing the MRI examination. If the coil determination function 51 determines that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is not possible, it may suggest changing the imaging method to one using the wireless RF coil 18.

[0037] The coil determination function 51 is an example of a "medical information processing device".

[0038] The acquisition function 52 acquires MR data transferred by the sequence control circuit 31. The MR data is obtained by converting the MR signal into digital data by the receiving circuit 34, or by receiving the MR signal from the wireless RF coil 18 with the transmitting / receiving circuit 35. The acquisition function 52 may also store the acquired MR data in the memory 41.

[0039] The reconstruction processing function 53 performs a predetermined reconstruction process on the MR data acquired by the acquisition function 52 (which may also be MR data stored in memory 41) to generate a reconstructed image. For example, the reconstruction processing function 53 arranges the MR data in two or three dimensions corresponding to the gradient magnetic field for slice selection, the gradient magnetic field for phase encoding, and the gradient magnetic field for readout, and then performs a reconstruction process using Fourier transform or the like to generate a reconstructed image. The reconstruction processing function 53 stores the generated reconstructed image in memory 41.

[0040] The image processing function 54 generates an MR image for presentation to the MRI examiner by applying predetermined image processing to the reconstructed image stored in the memory 41 based on the input operation received by the input interface 43. The predetermined image processing is, for example, a process of converting the reconstructed image into a three-dimensional image or cross-sectional image data of an arbitrary cross-section using a known method. The image processing function 54 stores the generated MR image in the memory 41.

[0041] The output control function 55 controls, for example, the display mode on the display 42. The output control function 55 outputs the judgment result of the coil judgment function 51 to the display 42 for display. This allows the MRI examiner to change the imaging conditions or the order of imaging as needed based on the judgment result displayed on the display 42. The output control function 55 outputs the MR image generated by the image processing function 54 and stored in the memory 41 to the display 42 for display. This allows the MRI examiner to visually confirm the MR image displayed on the display 42 and perform diagnoses and examinations, such as whether or not there is a lesion in the subject P. The output control function 55 may also transmit the MR image to, for example, a tablet terminal connected to the main body of the console device 40 via a network (not shown) for display on the display device. The output control function 55 may also display GUI images or the like to accept various operations from the MRI examiner.

[0042] [Configuration and Operation of Medical Information Processing Devices] Next, the configuration and operation of the coil determination function 51 will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) according to the embodiment. The coil determination function 51 performs, for example, an imaging condition acquisition function 511, a power consumption estimation function 512, a battery information acquisition function 513, an imaging determination function 514, and a determination result presentation function 515.

[0043] The imaging condition acquisition function 511 acquires imaging conditions used to estimate the power consumption of the battery provided in the wireless RF coil 18. For example, the imaging condition acquisition function 511 acquires imaging conditions set on the MRI device 1 by the person performing the MRI examination in order to image subject P.

[0044] The main power consumption of the battery in the wireless RF coil 18 can be determined, for example, by the total usage time, which includes the standby time and operating time of the coil section (not shown), i.e., the control time of the coil section. The main operating time of the coil section includes, for example, the time required to receive the MR signal and the time required to transfer (transmit) the received MR signal. The time required to receive the MR signal can be determined, for example, by the time per reception, the number of receptions, and the number of coil sections receiving the MR signal. The time required to transfer the MR signal varies, for example, by the magnitude of the MR signal to be transmitted (or the amount of MR data if the wireless RF coil 18 is configured to transmit MR data). In other words, the time required to transfer the MR signal is the time of wireless communication in the communication interface (not shown). The magnitude of the MR signal and the amount of MR data are proportional to the strength of the high-frequency magnetic field generated during imaging, the strength of the RF pulse, and the duration for which the RF pulse is supplied.

[0045] Here, an example of the reception time of an MR signal will be described. Figure 3 is a sequence chart showing an example of the timing when taking an image in a medical imaging diagnostic device (MRI device 1) equipped with a medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) according to the embodiment. Figure 3 shows an example of the reception time period (hereinafter referred to as "reception period Tr") during which the wireless RF coil 18 receives the MR signal in a certain period (hereinafter referred to as "unit period Tu") in which the sequence control circuit 31 sequentially executes events and receives (detects) one MR signal. More specifically, Figure 3 shows an example of the temporal relationship between the RF pulse schematically showing an example of the state supplied from the transmission circuit 33 and actually irradiated within the unit period Tu, the gradient magnetic fields Gss for slice selection, Gpe for phase encoding, and Gro for readout generated by the gradient magnetic field coil 14, the MR signal schematically showing an example of the state emitted from the subject P, and the reception period Tr. In the example shown in Figure 3, after the RF coil 16 irradiates an RF pulse at time t0, the wireless RF coil 18 receives the MR signal emitted from the subject P during the MR signal reception period Tr (the period from time t1 to time t2).

[0046] The MRI operator sets the imaging conditions for imaging subject P at the example timing shown in Figure 3 on the MRI device 1 by operating the input interface 43 provided on the console device 40, using the setting image (GUI image) for setting imaging conditions displayed on the display 42. The MRI operator sets, for example, the number of slices selected by the gradient magnetic field Gss for slice selection in a unit period Tu (number of slices), the number of times the gradient magnetic field Gpe for phase encoding is repeatedly generated in the gradient magnetic field coil 14 (number of encodings), and the timing of the reception period Tr. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a setting image for setting imaging conditions for imaging timing in a medical image diagnostic device (MRI device 1) equipped with a medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) according to the embodiment. In the example of setting image IM1 shown in Figure 4, an example is shown where the number of slices Ns=30, the number of encodings Ne=192, and the timing of the reception period Tr Tro=256 are set. The setting image for setting imaging conditions is not limited to the example shown in setting image IM1 in Figure 4. The settings image may include items for setting various shooting conditions, such as an item for setting the number of MR images to average when generating another MR image by averaging acquired MR images. The shooting condition acquisition function 511 acquires this information (setting values) set by the person performing the MRI examination as shooting conditions.

[0047] In the example shown in Figure 3, an example of the timing of the reception period Tr in which the wireless RF coil 18 receives (detects) an MR signal is shown within a unit period Tu in which one MR signal is received (detected). However, in the imaging of a subject P in the MRI device 1, RF pulse irradiation and MR signal reception occur multiple times. Therefore, the imaging condition acquisition function 511 acquires information (set values) of the imaging timing corresponding to each unit period Tu set by the person performing the MRI examination, as the respective imaging conditions.

[0048] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the coil section of the wireless RF coil 18 is a coil array composed of multiple coil elements, and that the configuration ensures that coil elements not used for imaging are not affected by the high-frequency magnetic field generated by the RF coil 16. For example, to prevent the coil section or coil elements from overheating or being destroyed by eddy currents generated by the high-frequency magnetic field, it is conceivable that a high-frequency diode (a so-called PIN diode) is used to keep the coil normally disconnected so that it does not function as an RF coil, and only connect it to function as an RF coil when used for imaging (receiving MR signals). In this case, the amount of battery power consumed by the high-frequency diode to enable it to function as an RF coil is also included in the power consumption of the battery of the wireless RF coil 18.

[0049] The person performing the MRI examination operates the input interface 43 provided on the console device 40 to set the imaging conditions for the MRI device 1, specifying the RF coil that will receive the MR signal when imaging the subject P, and the coil element within the coil array, on the setting image (GUI image) for selecting the RF coil displayed on the display 42. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a setting image for setting imaging conditions for selecting an RF coil in a medical imaging diagnostic device (MRI device 1) equipped with a medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) according to the embodiment. Figure 5 schematically shows the gantry device 10 and the patient table device 20 that constitute the MRI device 1, and schematically shows the RF coil and coil element that can be used to image the subject P in the MRI device 1. In the example shown in Figure 5, the RF coils in the rigging device 10, including RF coil Cb (i.e., RF coil 16), head RF coil Ch (coil elements H1-H4) with a coil array configuration capable of imaging the head of subject P, spine RF coil Cs (coil elements S1-S8) with a coil array configuration capable of imaging the spine of subject P, and wireless RF coil Cw (e.g., wireless RF coil 18: coil elements W1-W4) that can be attached to subject P, are schematically shown to be in a state where they can be used for imaging subject P. The head RF coil Ch and spine RF coil Cs are RF coils installed on the top plate 24, and therefore it is assumed that power is supplied via the top plate 24. However, either or both of the head RF coil Ch and spine RF coil Cs may be wireless RF coils powered by a battery (not shown), similar to RF coil Cw (wireless RF coil 18). In the example shown in Figure 5, for example, if an RF coil that can be used to image subject P is added or replaced with a different one, the corresponding RF coil should be indicated in the setting image IM2 as the RF coil that can currently be used to image subject P. The MRI operator selects (specifies) one or more RF coils or coil elements shown in Figure 5, and the MRI device 1 uses the selected (specified) RF coil to image subject P.In the example shown in Figure 5, coil elements W2, W3, and W4 within the coil array constituting the wireless RF coil Cw are shown as being selected (specified) by the MRI examiner. The imaging condition acquisition function 511 also acquires information on the RF coils and coil elements selected (specified) by the MRI examiner as imaging conditions. These imaging conditions include, for example, information identifying the selected (specified) RF coils and coil elements and information representing their number (in other words, information representing the type of RF coil used for imaging and the number of channels in the coil elements). In the MRI device 1, the imaging conditions for the imaging timing, as explained using Figures 3 and 4, can also be set for each RF coil. In this case, the imaging condition acquisition function 511 acquires, for example, information (set values) for each imaging timing corresponding to each RF coil specified in the setting image IM2 as imaging conditions.

[0050] The imaging conditions acquired by the imaging condition acquisition function 511 are not limited to the imaging timing information (set value) and the RF coil or coil element specified for use in imaging the subject P, but may include any information that can be used to estimate the power consumption of the battery of the wireless RF coil 18. In addition to the imaging conditions described above, the imaging condition acquisition function 511 may also acquire information such as the physique of the subject P (hereinafter referred to as "subject information") and the imaging site (hereinafter referred to as "imaging site information"). Subject information includes, for example, the height and weight of the subject P being imaged. For example, the height information of the subject P can be used to estimate the RF coil or coil element to be used when the RF coil or coil element has not been selected (specified) by the person performing the MRI examination. Imaging site information includes, for example, one or more predetermined sequence information for each imaging site, that is, information associated with a series of sequence information for each imaging site in which the subject P is imaged. In other words, imaging site information is information that allows us to obtain the aforementioned pre-set imaging timing information (set value) and information about the RF coil and coil element used for imaging. Imaging site information may be predetermined, for example, during the development, design, and manufacturing of the MRI device 1, or it may be predetermined at the medical institution where the MRI device 1 is installed. Imaging site information may be stored, for example, in memory 41, or in external memory that the MRI device 1 can communicate with, where reading and writing is controlled by a NAS, PACS, or cloud server.

[0051] The shooting condition acquisition function 511 outputs the acquired shooting condition information (hereinafter referred to as "shooting condition information") to the power consumption estimation function 512. The shooting condition acquisition function 511 may also store the acquired shooting condition information (shooting condition information) in the memory 41 and notify the power consumption estimation function 512 of this.

[0052] The shooting condition acquisition function 511 is an example of a "shooting condition acquisition unit".

[0053] Returning to Figure 2, the power consumption estimation function 512 calculates the power consumption of the battery in the wireless RF coil 18 used for imaging, based on the imaging condition information output by the imaging condition acquisition function 511. In other words, the power consumption estimation function 512 estimates the power consumption of the battery used for imaging based on the imaging condition information. As described above, the imaging condition information output by the imaging condition acquisition function 511 includes information (set values) on the imaging timing when imaging the subject P in the MRI device 1, and information on the RF coil and coil element used. In other words, the imaging condition information is information related to the reception of MR signals in the wireless RF coil 18. Therefore, the power consumption estimation function 512 calculates the amount of battery power consumed when the wireless RF coil 18 receives MR signals, based on the imaging condition information. The amount of battery power required when the wireless RF coil 18 receives an MR signal can be considered to be the magnitude of the MR signal received by the wireless RF coil 18 (or the amount of MR data if the wireless RF coil 18 is configured to transmit MR data), and is proportional to the amount of transmission power required when the wireless RF coil 18 transfers (transmits) the MR signal (or MR data) to the transmit / receive circuit 35 via wireless communication. The power consumption estimation function 512 uses the calculated amount of battery power required when receiving the MR signal as the estimated power consumption of the battery.

[0054] When multiple wireless RF coils 18 are used in imaging of subject P, the power consumption estimation function 512 estimates the battery power consumption for each wireless RF coil 18. Furthermore, the power consumption estimation function 512 also estimates the battery power consumption for each sequence of information. More specifically, the power consumption estimation function 512 estimates the battery power consumption for each sequence of information indicated in the imaging condition information, for each sequence of information included in the imaging area information (a series of sequence of information corresponding to the same imaging area), and for each sequence of information included in a series of sequence of information corresponding to the same subject P. Furthermore, the power consumption estimation function 512 also estimates the battery power consumption for a series of sequence of information combined. More specifically, the power consumption estimation function 512 estimates the battery power consumption for each imaging area, which is a series of sequence of information in the same imaging area information, and for each unit of diagnosis or examination, which is a series of sequence of information corresponding to the same subject P.

[0055] The power consumption estimation function 512 outputs information on the power consumption of the batteries of each wireless RF coil 18 that it has estimated (hereinafter referred to as "power consumption information") to the shooting determination function 514. The power consumption estimation function 512 may also store the estimated power consumption information of each battery (power consumption information) in the memory 41 and notify the shooting determination function 514 of this.

[0056] The power consumption estimation function 512 is an example of a "power consumption estimation unit".

[0057] The battery information acquisition function 513 acquires battery information of the battery provided by the wireless RF coil 18. The battery information includes information about power capacity, such as the total power capacity of the battery provided by the wireless RF coil 18 and the power capacity currently stored, as well as information about the battery's degradation status. The battery information may be transmitted wirelessly from the wireless RF coil 18, that is, from a communication interface (not shown) provided by the wireless RF coil 18, or from a communication interface (not shown) (which may be wired or wireless) provided by a charger that charges the battery of the wireless RF coil 18. The battery information may be transmitted periodically at predetermined time intervals, or it may be transmitted at any time. For example, when acquiring battery information from the wireless RF coil 18, the communication interface (not shown) provided by the wireless RF coil 18 may transmit the current battery information wirelessly at any time after the imaging of the subject P is completed, and this battery information may be acquired by the battery information acquisition function 513. For example, when acquiring battery information from a charger that charges the battery of a wireless RF coil 18, the charger may periodically transmit the current battery information at predetermined time intervals while the battery is being charged, and this battery information may be acquired by the battery information acquisition function 513. The configuration of the charger and the method of charging the battery in the charger are not specifically defined. The charger may start charging the battery when it is connected to an RF coil installed on the top plate 24, such as the head RF coil Ch or spinal RF coil Cs shown in Figure 5, or when it is connected to a wireless RF coil 18 placed on the top plate 24, or it may start charging the battery when the wireless RF coil 18 is placed in a coil rack that houses multiple wireless RF coils.In the case of a coil rack, instead of a charger, a communication interface (not shown) provided on the main body of the coil rack may transmit battery information for each battery contained in each of the stored wireless RF coils (wireless RF coil 18, wireless head RF coil Ch, and spine RF coil Cs (see Figure 5)), and this battery information may be acquired by the battery information acquisition function 513. The battery information acquisition function 513 may store the acquired battery information in memory 41 and read it from memory 41 when necessary. In this case, if the battery information acquisition function 513 acquires new battery information corresponding to the same battery, it updates the battery information corresponding to the same battery stored in memory 41 with the new battery information. In other words, the battery information acquisition function 513 keeps the battery information corresponding to the same battery stored in memory 41 up to date.

[0058] The battery information acquisition function 513 outputs the acquired battery information (which may be battery information read from memory 41) to the shooting determination function 514. The battery information acquisition function 513 may also directly acquire the transmitted battery information and output it to the shooting determination function 514. If the battery information acquisition function 513 has stored the acquired battery information in memory 41, it may also notify the shooting determination function 514 of the memory area in memory 41 where the battery information to be output is stored.

[0059] The battery information acquisition function 513 is an example of a "battery information acquisition unit".

[0060] The shooting determination function 514 determines whether or not to perform shooting using the wireless RF coil 18 based on the power consumption information output by the power consumption estimation function 512 and the battery information output by the battery information acquisition function 513. More specifically, the shooting determination function 514 compares the power consumption information with the currently stored power capacity represented by the battery information. If the current power capacity is greater than the power consumption represented by the power consumption information, it determines that shooting using the wireless RF coil 18 can be performed without problems. If the current power capacity is less than or equal to the power consumption represented by the power consumption information, it determines that shooting using the wireless RF coil 18 cannot be performed without problems. The shooting determination function 514 determines whether or not to perform shooting using the wireless RF coil 18 for each power consumption represented by the power consumption estimation function 512. In other words, the imaging determination function 514 determines whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible based on the power consumption represented by the power consumption information which is a compilation of a series of sequence information output by the power consumption estimation function 512, and also determines whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible for each power consumption represented by each power consumption information output by the power consumption estimation function 512, that is, for each wireless RF coil 18, each sequence information, each imaging area, and each unit of diagnosis or examination.

[0061] The shooting determination function 514 determines whether or not to take a picture using the wireless RF coil 18, based on a determination condition in which either the battery power consumption indicated by the power consumption information or the current power capacity has a predetermined margin. More specifically, the shooting determination function 514 determines whether or not to take a picture based on a determination condition in which the battery power consumption indicated by the power consumption information is greater by a predetermined margin. Alternatively, the shooting determination function 514 determines whether or not to take a picture based on a determination condition in which the current power capacity is less by a predetermined margin. The predetermined margin may be a predetermined percentage (for example, 10%), or it may be determined according to the battery power consumption, such as the power capacity that allows for taking a picture even if retaking becomes necessary (for example, the power capacity that allows for taking the same picture at least twice, i.e., the power capacity that allows for retaking).

[0062] When the imaging determination function 514 determines whether or not to perform imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 at the stage of reserving imaging of subject P (i.e., when imaging is not being performed at this time), it determines whether or not to perform imaging by assuming that all batteries of the wireless RF coil 18 are fully charged, instead of using the current battery information output by the battery information acquisition function 513.

[0063] The shooting determination function 514 outputs to the determination result presentation function 515 the determination result of whether or not to perform shooting using the wireless RF coil 18 for each power consumption amount represented by each power consumption information. The shooting determination function 514 may also store each determination result in the memory 41 and notify the determination result presentation function 515 of this.

[0064] The shooting determination function 514 is an example of a "shooting determination unit".

[0065] The judgment result presentation function 515 presents (informs) the judgment result output by the imaging judgment function 514 to the person performing the MRI examination. More specifically, the judgment result presentation function 515 presents (informs) the person performing the MRI examination with a margin that corresponds to the estimated battery power consumption, which is a compilation of a series of sequence information. For example, the judgment result presentation function 515 generates a judgment result image representing the judgment result, outputs the generated judgment result image to the output control function 55, and displays it on the display 42, thereby informing (informing) the person performing the MRI examination whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 can be performed without problems.

[0066] If the judgment result output by the imaging judgment function 514 indicates that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 cannot be performed without problems, the judgment result presentation function 515 may suggest to the MRI examiner that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 should be changed. In other words, even if the judgment result, which includes a margin corresponding to the estimated battery power consumption based on a series of sequence information, indicates that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is impossible, if imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 can be made possible by changing the imaging conditions or judgment conditions, the judgment result presentation function 515 may inform the MRI examiner that imaging will be possible by changing the imaging conditions or judgment conditions. In this case, the judgment result presentation function 515 suggests to the MRI examiner that imaging should be changed (changed to imaging using the wireless RF coil 18) based on the respective judgment results for each power consumption amount represented by the power consumption information output by the imaging judgment function 514. For example, the following suggestions can be made to change imaging using the wireless RF coil 18.

[0067] (Proposal 1): The judgment result presentation function 515 is proposed to change the margin used as a judgment criterion when determining whether or not to perform imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 (by reducing or eliminating the margin). Upon receiving Proposal 1, the MRI examiner will be able to decide whether or not to perform imaging using the wireless RF coil 18, after recognizing that there is currently insufficient power capacity stored in the battery.

[0068] (Proposal 2): ​​The judgment result presentation function 515 proposes changes to the imaging conditions. Proposal 2 includes, for example, suggestions to change the number of slices Ns, the number of encodings Ne, and the timing of the reception period Tr in an example of the setting image IM1 shown in Figure 4, and suggestions to change the selection (specification) of the RF coil and coil element in an example of the setting image IM2 shown in Figure 5. Proposal 2 may also include, for example, suggestions to change the effective field of view (FOV) when taking images. Upon receiving Proposal 2, the MRI examiner can determine whether the imaging conditions to be reset, taking into account the power capacity currently stored in the battery, are acceptable for diagnosing and examining the subject P.

[0069] (Proposal 3): The judgment result presentation function 515 proposes omitting sequence information for capturing MR images of low clinical significance or changing the order of capturing, depending on how many sequence information sequences can be captured during imaging based on a series of sequence information. In other words, the judgment result presentation function 515 anticipates situations where, for example, MR images captured based on a series of sequence information corresponding to the imaging area, or MR images captured based on a series of sequence information for diagnosing or examining subject P, cannot be captured midway through, and proposes not capturing MR images of low importance, or postponing the capture of MR images of low importance. Upon receiving Proposal 3, the MRI examiner can determine whether the MR images that can be captured with the current power capacity stored in the battery are acceptable for diagnosing or examining subject P.

[0070] (Proposal 4): The judgment result presentation function 515 proposes imaging using another wireless RF coil 18 capable of acquiring MR images similar to those acquired by the selected (specified) wireless RF coil 18. For example, the judgment result presentation function 515 proposes using a wireless RF coil 18 of the same type but a different size as a substitute, based on the subject information of subject P. For example, if there are multiple wireless RF coils 18 of the same type and size stored in the coil rack, the judgment result presentation function 515 proposes using a different wireless RF coil 18 that has a larger battery capacity currently charged, unlike the wireless RF coil 18 currently prepared (taken out of the coil rack). Upon receiving Proposal 4, the MRI examiner can determine whether or not imaging can be performed using a substitute or a different wireless RF coil 18. If the MRI operator decides to perform the scan using an alternative or different wireless RF coil 18, the selected (specified) wireless RF coil 18 will be charged by being connected to a charger or stored in a coil rack.

[0071] (Proposal 5): When the judgment result presentation function 515 presents (informs) the judgment result at the stage of booking the imaging of subject P, it suggests swapping the order with other subjects who are already scheduled to be scanned on the same day. Proposal 5 is a proposal to prevent the power capacity stored in the battery of a particular wireless RF coil 18 from becoming extremely low due to continuous imaging using the same wireless RF coil 18. If it is anticipated that continuous imaging using the same wireless RF coil 18 cannot be performed after the imaging of subject P to be booked this time is completed, the judgment result presentation function 515 may, in addition to or instead of Proposal 5, present (inform) the MRI examiner of the low power capacity stored in the battery. Upon receiving Proposal 5 (or the above-mentioned warning), the MRI examiner can make a reservation to scan subject P, taking into consideration whether it is possible to rearrange the imaging plan on the same reservation day or to book subject P on a different day.

[0072] The judgment result presentation function 515 is an example of a "judgment result presentation unit".

[0073] With this configuration and operation, the coil determination function 51 estimates the power consumption of the battery equipped with the wireless RF coil 18 based on, for example, the imaging conditions when imaging the subject P and the battery information of the battery equipped with the wireless RF coil 18, thereby determining whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 can be performed without problems, and presents (informs) the MRI examiner of this determination result, or a suggestion based on this determination result.

[0074] [MRI scanning procedure] Next, the imaging procedure for subject P in the MRI device 1 and the processing flow in the coil determination function 51 will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for imaging a subject in a medical imaging diagnostic device (MRI device 1) equipped with a medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) according to the embodiment, and an example of the processing flow in the medical information processing device (coil determination function 51). The flowchart shown in Figure 6 is an example of imaging subject P using a wireless RF coil 18 in the MRI device 1. In the following description, it is assumed that imaging site information (a series of sequence information corresponding to the same imaging site) is stored in the memory 41. Furthermore, it is assumed that the memory 41 stores information on the power capacity currently stored in the battery of the wireless RF coil 18 (current battery information), and that the stored battery information is updated each time new battery information is transmitted from the wireless RF coil 18 or the charger.

[0075] In procedure P1, the MRI operator sets the imaging conditions for imaging the subject P. For example, the MRI operator sets the imaging conditions (set values) using the setting image IM1 shown in Figure 4, and selects (specifies) the wireless RF coil 18 and the coil elements that make up the wireless RF coil 18 using the setting image IM2 shown in Figure 5. The MRI operator may also set the imaging area information corresponding to the imaging area of ​​the subject P from the imaging area information stored in memory 41 as the imaging conditions.

[0076] When the imaging conditions for imaging subject P are set by the person performing the MRI examination, the imaging condition acquisition function 511, which is executed in the coil determination function 51, acquires the set imaging conditions and outputs them as imaging condition information to the power consumption estimation function 512 (step S100).

[0077] The power consumption estimation function 512, which is performed in the coil determination function 51, estimates the power consumption of the battery of the wireless RF coil 18 used for shooting based on the shooting condition information output by the shooting condition acquisition function 511, and outputs the estimated power consumption information to the shooting determination function 514 (step S110).

[0078] The battery information acquisition function 513, which is executed in the coil determination function 51, acquires the current battery information of the battery of the selected (specified) wireless RF coil 18, which is included in the shooting condition information (read from memory 41), and outputs it to the shooting determination function 514 (step S120).

[0079] The imaging determination function 514, which is executed in the coil determination function 51, compares the power consumption information output by the power consumption estimation function 512 with the battery information output by the battery information acquisition function 513 to check whether the estimated power consumption is less than the current power capacity (step S130). In step S130, if the estimated power consumption is greater than or equal to the current power capacity, the imaging determination function 514 determines that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is not possible. The imaging determination function 514 outputs this determination result to the determination result presentation function 515.

[0080] The judgment result presentation function 515, which is executed in the coil judgment function 51, presents (informs) the judgment result (imaging not possible) output by the imaging judgment function 514 to the person performing the MRI examination (step S140). At this time, the judgment result presentation function 515 suggests to the person performing the MRI examination that they change to imaging using the wireless RF coil 18.

[0081] In step P2, the MRI examiner changes the imaging conditions when imaging subject P, in accordance with the suggestion. As a result, the coil determination function 51 repeats the processing from steps S100 to S130 to repeatedly determine whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible with the current imaging condition settings.

[0082] On the other hand, in step S130, if the estimated power consumption is less than the current power capacity, the imaging determination function 514 determines that imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible. The imaging determination function 514 outputs this determination result to the determination result presentation function 515. The determination result presentation function 515 presents (informs) the MRI examination user of the determination result (imaging possible) output by the imaging determination function 514 (step S142).

[0083] In step P3, the MRI examiner attaches the selected (specified) wireless RF coil 18 to the subject P. Then, in step P4, the MRI examiner takes an image of the subject P. As a result, the MRI device 1 displays the MR image of the subject P on the display 42, and the MRI examiner can confirm the MR image of the subject P. When the imaging of the subject P is complete, in step P5, the MRI examiner removes the wireless RF coil 18 that was attached to the subject P, and the imaging procedure for the subject P on the MRI device 1 is completed. At this time, or thereafter, in step P10, if the wireless RF coil 18 or the charger that charges the wireless RF coil 18 transmits the current battery information, the battery information acquisition function 513 acquires the transmitted battery information and stores the acquired battery information in the memory 41.

[0084] As described above, the coil determination function 51, which is a medical information processing device of the embodiment, determines whether or not imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible with the current imaging conditions when imaging a subject P using the wireless RF coil 18 in the MRI device 1, and presents (guides) the determination result and suggestions based on the determination result to the person performing the MRI examination. As a result, the MRI device 1 to which the medical information processing device of the embodiment is applied can perform imaging of the subject P while suitably managing the charge state of the battery of the wireless RF coil 18. In this way, the MRI device 1 to which the medical information processing device of the embodiment is applied does not require the person performing the MRI examination to take care of the charge state of the battery of the wireless RF coil 18, and allows for efficient operation of imaging using the wireless RF coil 18.

[0085] In the embodiment described above, the acquired battery information is stored in the memory 41 of the MRI device 1 to which the medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) of the embodiment is applied, and the battery information corresponding to the same battery stored is updated to keep the current battery information up to date. However, by keeping the acquired battery information up to date, it is not limited to using it as the current battery information acquired when performing imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 in the future. For example, instead of updating the battery information stored in the memory 41, the acquisition time may be associated with the history of changes in each battery information and saved as a database. In this case, an external memory that the MRI device 1 can communicate with can be used as the storage location for the databased battery information. The databased battery information can be used, for example, to reflect in the estimation of battery power consumption in the power consumption estimation function 512, or to determine the degradation state of the battery. For example, when estimating battery power consumption in the power consumption estimation function 512, it is possible to obtain information on the actual battery power consumption based on the battery information before and after imaging that has been saved in the database, so that the estimation when performing similar imaging can be made more accurate. For example, in the case of subject P who is being monitored, since the same imaging conditions are used for imaging, it is possible to estimate the actual battery power consumption based on battery information from previous imaging sessions that has been stored in a database. For example, the degradation state of the battery can be determined based on the relationship between the repeated charging and discharging of the battery, as shown in the battery information stored in the database, and the power capacity at that time.

[0086] In the embodiment described above, after the MRI examiner sets the imaging conditions for imaging the subject P in procedure P1, the medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) of the embodiment determines whether imaging using the wireless RF coil 18 is possible based on the setting of those imaging conditions, and if it is determined that imaging is possible, the imaging of the subject P is performed. In other words, the embodiment described above describes the case where the setting of imaging conditions and imaging occur at the same time. This is equivalent to, for example, the case in a medical institution where imaging of the subject P (i.e., examination of the subject P) is performed urgently. However, in a medical institution, it is easy to imagine that an appointment will be made first, and then the imaging of the subject P will be performed on a different day. In this case, the procedure of the MRI examiner and the processing flow in the coil determination function 51 can be easily considered based on the example of the procedure of the MRI examiner and the processing flow in the coil determination function 51 shown in Figure 6. More specifically, the setting of imaging conditions in procedure P1 shown in Figure 6 will be the procedure of the MRI examiner that sets imaging conditions when making an appointment, registers subject information, and sets imaging site information. In this procedure, even if the shooting timing information (set value) and the selection (specification) of the RF coil or coil element to be used for shooting have not been set in the setting of the shooting conditions, it is possible to assume that the shooting timing information (set value) and the selected (specified) RF coil or coil element information have been obtained based on, for example, a series of sequence information shown in the set imaging area information or registered subject information (for example, height information). Then, the coil determination function 51 performs the processing of steps S100 to S142 shown in Figure 6 based on the information obtained in the procedure for making a reservation. At this time, the coil determination function 51 may also make a determination of whether or not to take an image based on the shooting conditions of other subjects for whom reservations have already been made on the same day, in addition to determining whether or not to take an image based on the shooting conditions of the subject for which the reservation is being made.Therefore, at the reservation stage, the coil determination function 51 (more specifically, the imaging determination function 514) determines whether imaging is possible or not assuming that the batteries of all wireless RF coils 18 are fully charged, as described above. However, considering that imaging of multiple subjects is scheduled on the same day, it is considered extremely useful to be able to determine in advance whether imaging using the wireless RF coils 18 is possible by setting the imaging conditions corresponding to each subject. Moreover, as in Proposal 5 described above, the coil determination function 51 (more specifically, the determination result presentation function 515) can suggest to the MRI examiner that, depending on the determination result, they make a decision (consideration) that includes rearranging the order of imaging with other subjects to be scanned on the same day (reorganizing the imaging plan) or changing the reservation date. Thus, in the MRI device 1 to which the medical information processing device (coil determination function 51) of the embodiment is applied, it is possible to determine in advance whether imaging using the wireless RF coils 18 is possible at the reservation stage. Then, on the day of the scan, the final decision on whether or not to perform the scan using the wireless RF coil 18 and the actual scan can be performed according to the procedure for the MRI examiner shown in Figure 6 and the processing flow of the coil determination function 51.

[0087] The embodiments described above can be expressed as follows. In a medical imaging diagnostic device that acquires tomographic images by irradiating a subject placed on a top plate with RF pulses, a processing circuit is provided in the medical information processing device that manages the charge state of the battery of the wireless RF coil. The aforementioned processing circuit is The shooting conditions when taking the aforementioned tomographic image are obtained, Based on the aforementioned shooting conditions, the power consumption of the battery when capturing the tomographic image is estimated. At a minimum, battery information including the power capacity stored in the battery is obtained, Based on the power consumption and the battery information, it is determined whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil. Medical information processing device.

[0088] According to at least one embodiment described above, in a medical imaging diagnostic device (1) that takes tomographic images (MR images) by irradiating a subject (P) placed on a top plate (24) with RF pulses, a medical information processing device (51) for managing the charge state of a battery provided in a wireless RF coil (18) comprises: an imaging condition acquisition unit (511) for acquiring imaging conditions when taking the tomographic image; a power consumption estimation unit (512) for estimating the power consumption of the battery when taking the tomographic image based on the imaging conditions; a battery information acquisition unit (513) for acquiring battery information including at least the power capacity stored in the battery; and an imaging determination unit (514) for determining whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil based on the power consumption and the battery information. By providing this, when the RF coil (16) of the magnetic resonance imaging device (1) is made wireless, the charge state of a battery provided in a wireless RF coil (18) can be suitably managed.

[0089] While several embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...MRI machine, 10...Stand system, 12...Static magnetic field magnet, 14...Gradient field coil, 16...RF coil, 18...Wireless RF coil, 20...Clinic table system, 22...Base, 24...Tabletop, 30...Control device, 31...Sequence control circuit, 32...Gradient field power supply, 33...Transmitter circuit, 34...Receiver circuit, 35...Transmitter / receiver circuit, 36...Clinic table control circuit, 40...Console Device, 41...Memory, 42...Display, 43...Input Interface, 50...Processing Circuit, 51...Coil Judgment Function, 511...Shooting Condition Acquisition Function, 512...Power Consumption Estimation Function, 513...Battery Information Acquisition Function, 514...Shooting Judgment Function, 515...Judgment Result Presentation Function, 52...Acquisition Function, 53...Reconstruction Processing Function, 54...Image Processing Function, 55...Output Control Function

Claims

1. A medical imaging diagnostic device that takes tomographic images by irradiating a subject placed on a top plate with RF pulses, wherein a medical information processing device manages the charge state of a battery equipped with a wireless RF coil, A shooting condition acquisition unit that acquires the shooting conditions when taking the aforementioned tomographic image, A power consumption estimation unit estimates the power consumption of the battery when acquiring the tomographic image based on the aforementioned shooting conditions, At a minimum, a battery information acquisition unit that acquires battery information including the power capacity stored in the battery, A shooting determination unit that determines whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil based on the power consumption and the battery information, A medical information processing device equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The aforementioned imaging conditions include at least a reception time during which the RF coil receives a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the subject, The power consumption estimation unit estimates the amount of power consumed by the battery when the RF coil receives the nuclear magnetic resonance signal during the reception time as the power consumption, The aforementioned imaging determination unit is The power consumption is compared with the power capacity represented by the battery information, If the power capacity is greater than the power consumption, it is determined that it is possible to take the tomographic image. If the power capacity is less than or equal to the power consumption, it is determined that it is impossible to acquire the tomographic image. The medical information processing device according to claim 1.

3. The RF coil is a coil array composed of multiple coil elements, The aforementioned imaging conditions include information specifying the coil element that receives the nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the subject when acquiring the tomographic image, The power consumption estimation unit estimates the amount of power consumed by the battery when the designated coil element receives the nuclear magnetic resonance signal as the power consumption. A medical information processing device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. When multiple tomographic images are taken, the shooting conditions include multiple shooting conditions for each of the tomographic images. The power consumption estimation unit estimates the power consumption for each of the shooting conditions and the power consumption for all of the shooting conditions combined. The imaging determination unit determines whether or not to take the tomographic image for each of the power consumption amounts. The medical information processing device according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned imaging determination unit determines whether or not to take the tomographic image based on predetermined determination conditions that allow for a margin in the respective power consumption or battery information. The medical information processing device according to claim 4.

6. A determination result display unit that displays the determination result of whether or not the aforementioned tomographic image can be taken. Furthermore, The medical information processing device according to claim 5.

7. The determination result presentation unit presents the determination result corresponding to the power consumption that combines the multiple shooting conditions. The medical information processing device according to claim 6.

8. If the determination result corresponding to the power consumption of the combined multiple shooting conditions is determined to be impossible to capture the tomographic image, the determination result presentation unit will propose a change to the shooting conditions based on the determination result corresponding to the power consumption of each of the shooting conditions. The medical information processing device according to claim 7.

9. In a medical imaging diagnostic device that acquires tomographic images by irradiating a subject placed on a top plate with RF pulses, the computer of the medical information processing device that manages the charge status of the battery equipped with the wireless RF coil, The shooting conditions when taking the aforementioned tomographic image are obtained, Based on the aforementioned shooting conditions, the power consumption of the battery when capturing the tomographic image is estimated. At a minimum, battery information including the power capacity stored in the battery is obtained, Based on the power consumption and the battery information, it is determined whether or not to take the tomographic image using the RF coil. Medical information processing method.

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