System and method for determining connection compatibility of medical imaging devices

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for a graphical user interface (GUI) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. [Solution] The system includes a display device, one or more processors, and a memory for storing instructions executable by one or more processors, which includes a memory for storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform the following: determining the connection status of each port of a plurality of ports, each port of a plurality of ports is configured to couple radio frequency (RF) coils to an MRI device; generating a GUI including a port status indicator for each port, each port status indicator having a visual appearance based on the port's connection status; and outputting the GUI so that the GUI is displayed on the display device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification generally relates to medical imaging. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to visually displaying the connection state of a coil-port in magnetic resonance imaging.

Background Art

[0002] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging modality that can create images of the interior of the human body without using X-rays or other ionizing radiation. In an MRI scan, typically, a series of radiofrequency (RF) excitation pulses and magnetic field gradient pulses are included, and these pulses are executed in a specific timing and a specific order so as to obtain contrast, encode spatial information into the MR signal, the MR signal is detected by one or more RF coils, and an image is generated.

[0003] In some examples, the RF coil used to receive the MR signal can be a local RF coil array or a surface RF coil array that is placed on or covers the imaging subject. Such a coil array can be adjusted in size, position, and / or orientation. For example, an operator can place a selected surface RF coil to cover the imaging subject and connect the RF coil to the MRI system based on a given imaging purpose.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one example, the system includes a display device, one or more processors, and a memory that stores instructions executable by the one or more processors, which includes instructions for determining the connection status of each port of a plurality of ports, each port of the plurality of ports being configured to couple radio frequency (RF) coils to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device; generating a graphical user interface (GUI) including a port status indicator for each port, each port status indicator generating a graphical user interface (GUI) having a visual appearance based on the port's connection status; and outputting the GUI so that it is displayed on the display device.

[0005] In another example, the method includes determining the connection status of each of the multiple ports of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, each of which is configured to connect a radio frequency (RF) coil to the MRI apparatus; generating a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a port status indicator for each port, each port status indicator having a visual appearance based on the port's connection status; and outputting the GUI so that it is displayed on a display device.

[0006] In another example, the method includes determining, based on a signal output by a first port of a plurality of ports located on the table of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, that a first RF coil is connected to the first port; determining, based on the signal, that the first RF coil is not compatible with the first port; updating a graphical user interface (GUI) to include a first port status indicator for the first port having a second visual appearance different from a first visual appearance of the first port status indicator, wherein the first port status indicator is displayed in the GUI with the first visual appearance when it is determined that the first port is idle; and outputting the GUI for display on a display device located in the bore of the MRI apparatus.

[0007] The above summary should be understood as being provided in a simplified form to introduce some of the concepts further described in embodiments for carrying out the invention. This summary is not intended to identify the main or essential features of the subject matter described in the claims, the scope of which is uniquely defined by the claims. Furthermore, the subject matter of the claims is not limited to embodiments that resolve the defects described above and any defects mentioned anywhere in this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] This disclosure can be further understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an example of an MRI system. [Figure 2] A schematic top view of the MRI system, including the MRI device shown in Figure 1, is provided. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows a schematic front view of the MRI system. [Figure 4] Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary scan control device for the MRI system. [Figure 5] Figures 2 and 3 show the first display screen of an exemplary in-room display (IRD) graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on the MRI system's display device. [Figure 6] The second display screen of an exemplary IRD GUI is shown. [Figure 7] This shows an exemplary third display screen of the IRD GUI. [Figure 8] This shows the fourth display screen of an exemplary IRD GUI. [Figure 9] Figures 2 and 3 show a rough flowchart of how to scan a patient using the MRI system. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing how to monitor the coil-port connection while the method is being performed. [Figure 11] An example of the fifth display screen of the IRD GUI is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description relates to automatically monitoring the connection between radio frequency (RF) coils and ports in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and notifying whether the connection between the RF coils and ports is compatible or incompatible. During a scan of an object to be imaged (such as a patient) using an MRI system, one or more RF coils are placed around the patient's body. Each RF coil may contain multiple coil elements. Each coil element is configured to transmit an MR signal to the MRI system through one of several channels, which is processed to ultimately produce an image. Each RF coil may have cables connected to each of the multiple coil elements of the RF coil, and the cables terminate at connectors. The connectors are configured to plug into corresponding ports on the MRI system, thereby enabling the transmission of MR signals from the coil elements to the MRI system. Different anatomical features being imaged may require different configurations of coil elements, and therefore, a variety of different RF coils may be available for use during a scan. For example, some RF coils may contain more coil elements than others. Different RF coils may be configured to transmit MR signals through different numbers of channels. For example, some RF coils may consist of 16 channels, while others may consist of 21 channels. Furthermore, some RF coils may be configured as receive-only RF coils (e.g., RF coils configured solely for receiving MR signals and transmitting them to the MRI system), while others may be configured as transmit / receive RF coils (e.g., RF coils configured to transmit and receive RF signals, and to receive detected MR signals and transmit them to the MRI system). Thus, an MRI system may also include multiple different ports configured to receive different types of RF coils.

[0010] However, multiple ports on an MRI system may appear identical to one another. Similarly, multiple connectors on an RF coil may also appear identical to one another. Therefore, even if a port is configured to couple to a specific type of RF coil (e.g., a 16-channel RF coil), the physical configuration of the port and the RF coil means that the port can couple to various different types of RF coils. Consequently, during patient setup before a scan, an MRI system operator may mistakenly connect an RF coil to a port that is not compatible with that RF coil (for example, an operator connecting a 21-channel RF coil to a port configured for a 16-channel RF coil). The operator may not realize the error until they attempt to start a scan and obtain no images or only low-quality images. Because the components of the MRI system are distributed throughout the scanning environment, if a misconnection of an RF coil to a port becomes apparent, the operator must stop the scan, move from the remote scan control room to the scan room where the MRI system scanner is actually installed, and connect the RF coil to the correct port. Even after the misconnection becomes apparent, correcting the error can be time-consuming because the operator may not know which port is actually configured to correspond to which RF coil. Thus, if the connection between the RF coil and the MRI system port is not properly matched, it may result in delayed scans and / or unnecessary scans of the patient.

[0011] Accordingly, according to embodiments disclosed herein, an MRI system can automatically monitor each port of the MRI system to determine when a connection between a port and an RF coil was established. The MRI system can be configured to determine whether a given RF coil-port connection is suitable for a scan or not. The MRI system can display a graphical user interface (GUI) including a visual representation of the ports of the MRI system on one or more display devices. When an RF coil-port connection is detected, the visual representation of that port can be updated to indicate whether the connection is suitable or unsuitable. Furthermore, if an unsuitable connection is detected, additional information about the unsuitable connection can be displayed on the GUI to notify the operator of the cause of the unsuitable connection and guide the operator to a port suitable for the RF coil.

[0012] Figure 1 shows an exemplary MRI system that can be used to acquire MR signals of a subject being imaged using one or more RF coils. The MRI system is included as part of an MRI system that includes various display devices distributed throughout the scanning environment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The MRI system includes a scan control device (such as the scan control device in Figure 4), which is configured to control at least some of the scan parameters of the MRI system (e.g., to instruct the MRI system to perform a scan of the patient according to a selected scan protocol) and to monitor the connections between the RF coils and the connection ports of the MRI system, in accordance with the methods shown in Figures 9 and 10. The scan control device may be configured to generate a GUI that can be displayed on one or more display devices of the MRI system. The GUI may be configured to update based on the current RF coil-port connections to inform the user of compatible and incompatible RF coil-port connections, as shown in Figures 5-8 and 11.

[0013] Figure 1 shows an MRI apparatus 10 (e.g., an MRI system). The MRI apparatus 10 includes a static magnetic field magnet unit 12, a gradient coil unit 13, an RF coil unit 14, an RF body coil unit 15 (e.g., a volume coil unit), a transmit / receive (T / R) switch 20, an RF drive unit 22, a gradient coil drive unit 23, a data acquisition unit 24, a controller unit 25, a patient bed or table 26, a data processing unit 31, a scan control device 32, and one or more display units 33. In some embodiments, the RF coil unit 14 is a surface coil, which is a local coil typically located near a site of anatomical interest of the subject 16. Here, the RF body coil unit 15 is a transmitting coil that transmits an RF signal, and the local surface of the RF coil unit 14 receives an MR signal. Thus, the transmitting body coil (e.g., RF body coil unit 15) and the surface receiving coil (e.g., RF coil unit 14) are separate but electromagnetically coupled components. The MRI device 10 transmits an electromagnetic pulse signal to a subject 16 placed in an imaging space 18 where a static magnetic field is formed, performs a scan, and acquires a magnetic resonance signal from the subject 16. Based on the magnetic resonance signal obtained by the scan in this way, one or more images of the subject 16 can be reconstructed.

[0014] The static magnetic field magnet unit 12 includes, for example, an annular superconducting magnet, which is housed within a toroidal vacuum chamber. This magnet defines a cylindrical space surrounding the subject 16 and generates a constant main static magnetic field B0.

[0015] The MRI apparatus 10 also includes a gradient coil unit 13, which forms a gradient magnetic field in the imaging space 18 so that three-dimensional positional information is added to the magnetic resonance signal received by the RF coil array. The gradient coil unit 13 includes three gradient coil systems. Each gradient coil system generates a gradient magnetic field along one of three spatial axes perpendicular to each other, and generates gradient magnetic fields in the frequency encoding direction, phase encoding direction, and slice selection direction according to the imaging conditions. More specifically, the gradient coil unit 13 selects a slice by applying a gradient magnetic field in the slice selection direction (or scanning direction) of the subject 16, and the RF body coil unit 15 or local RF coil array can transmit RF pulses to the selected slice of the subject 16. The gradient coil unit 13 also applies a gradient magnetic field in the phase encoding direction of the subject 16 to phase encode the magnetic resonance signal from the slice excited by the RF pulse. Next, the gradient coil unit 13 applies a gradient magnetic field in the frequency encoding direction of the subject 16 to frequency encode the magnetic resonance signal from the slice excited by the RF pulse.

[0016] The RF coil unit 14 is positioned, for example, to surround the imaging area of ​​the subject 16. In some examples, the RF coil unit 14 may be called a surface coil or receiving coil. In the static magnetic field space or imaging space 18, where a static magnetic field B0 is formed by the static magnetic field magnet unit 12, the RF body coil unit 15 transmits RF pulses, which are electromagnetic waves, to the subject 16 based on a control signal from the controller unit 25, thereby generating a high-frequency magnetic field B1. The transmission of RF pulses excites the spins of protons in the imaging slice of the subject 16. The RF coil unit 14 receives the electromagnetic waves generated when the spins of the protons excited in the imaging slice of the subject 16 return to align with the initial magnetization vector, as a magnetic resonance signal. In some embodiments, the RF coil unit 14 can transmit RF pulses and receive MR signals. In other embodiments, the RF coil unit 14 may be used only for receiving MR signals and not for transmitting RF pulses. The RF coil unit 14 can be connected to the MRI apparatus 10 through port 27. For example, the RF coil unit 14 may include a cable with a connector configured to be placed within port 27, thereby transmitting the MR signal acquired by the RF coil unit 14 to the data acquisition unit 24 (described in more detail below). Figure 1 shows one RF coil unit 14 and one port 27, but it should be understood that Table 26 includes multiple ports (e.g., two ports, four ports), each port configured to accept the connector of its respective RF coil unit. Different types of RF coil units can be used during scanning, depending on the anatomical structure to be imaged, the size of the subject, etc. RF coil units differ in the number and arrangement of coil elements, as well as the number of channels, and whether the RF coil unit is configured solely for receiving MR signals or also for transmitting RF signals.Similarly, the ports that can be connected to an RF coil unit differ depending on the number of channels that the port is configured to accept or connect to, whether the port is configured solely for receiving signals from the RF coil unit, or whether the port can also send signals that command the transmission of RF signals. For example, a first port may be configured to connect to an RF coil unit with 32 channels or fewer (receive-only mode), a second port may be configured to connect to an RF coil unit with 16 channels or fewer (receive-only mode), and a third port may be configured to connect to an RF coil unit with 16 channels or fewer that is capable of operating in both receive and transmit modes.

[0017] The RF body coil unit 15 is, for example, positioned to surround the imaging space 18 and generates RF magnetic field pulses orthogonal to the main magnetic field B0 generated in the imaging space 18 by the static magnetic field magnet unit 12, thereby exciting the nuclei. While the RF coil unit 14 can be removed from the MRI device 10 and replaced with another RF coil unit, the RF body coil unit 15 is fixedly attached and connected to the MRI device 10. Furthermore, while local coils (such as the RF coil unit 14) can transmit signals only to local areas of the subject 16 and receive signals from those areas, the RF body coil unit 15 generally covers a wider area. The RF body coil unit 15 can be used, for example, to transmit signals to the entire body of the subject 16 or to receive signals from the entire body of the subject. By using a receiving-only local coil and a transmitting body coil, high RF power is applied to the subject, but uniform RF excitation and good image uniformity can be obtained. In the case of transmitting and receiving local coils, the local coil RF-excites the region of interest and receives the MR signal, thereby reducing the RF power applied to the subject. It should be understood that the specific use of the RF coil unit 14 and / or RF body coil unit 15 depends on the imaging application.

[0018] When the T / R switch 20 operates in the reception mode, it can selectively and electrically connect the RF body coil unit 15 to the data acquisition unit 24. When it operates in the transmission mode, it can selectively and electrically connect the RF body coil unit 15 to the RF drive unit 22. Similarly, the T / R switch 20 can selectively and electrically connect the RF coil unit 14 to the data acquisition unit 24 when the RF coil unit 14 is operating in the reception mode, and selectively and electrically connect the RF coil unit 14 to the RF drive unit 22 when it is operating in the transmission mode. When both coil units, the RF coil unit 14 and the RF body coil unit 15, are used in a single scan (for example, when the RF coil unit 14 is configured to receive an MR signal and the RF body coil unit 15 is configured to transmit an RF signal), the T / R switch 20 transmits a control signal from the RF drive unit 22 to the RF body coil unit 15 and transmits the MR signal received from the RF coil unit 14 to the data acquisition unit 24. The coil of the RF body coil unit 15 can be configured to operate in a dedicated transmission mode or a transmit-receive mode. The coil of the RF coil unit 14 can be configured to operate in a transmit-receive mode or a dedicated reception mode.

[0019] The RF drive unit 22 includes a gate modulator (not shown), an RF power amplifier (not shown), and an RF oscillator (not shown), which are used to drive an RF coil (such as the RF body coil unit 15) to form a high-frequency magnetic field in the imaging space 18. Based on a control signal from the controller unit 25, the RF drive unit 22 uses the gate modulator to modulate the RF signal received from the RF oscillator into a signal having a predetermined timing and a predetermined envelope. The RF signal modulated by the gate modulator is amplified by the RF power amplifier and output to the RF body coil unit 15.

[0020] The gradient coil driving unit 23 drives the gradient coil unit 13 based on a control signal from the controller unit 25, thereby generating a gradient magnetic field in the imaging space 18. The gradient coil driving unit 23 includes three drive circuit systems (not shown) corresponding to the three gradient coil systems included in the gradient coil unit 13.

[0021] The data acquisition unit 24 includes a preamplifier (not shown), a phase detector (not shown), and an analog / digital converter (not shown) in order to acquire the magnetic resonance signal received from the RF coil unit 14. In the data acquisition unit 24, the phase detector uses the output from the RF oscillator of the RF driving unit 22 as a reference signal to detect the phase of the magnetic resonance signal received from the RF coil unit 14 and amplified by the preamplifier, outputs the phase-detected analog magnetic resonance signal to the analog / digital converter, and the output signal is converted into a digital signal. The digital signal thus obtained is output to the data processing unit 31.

[0022] The MRI apparatus 10 includes a table 26 on which the subject 16 is placed. The subject 16 can be moved in and out of the imaging space 18 by moving the table 26 based on a control signal from the controller unit 25.

[0023] The controller unit 25 includes a computer and a recording medium on which a program executed by the computer is stored. When the program is executed by the computer, it causes various components of the device to perform operations corresponding to predetermined scans. Examples of recording media include ROM, flexible disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, or non-volatile memory cards. The controller unit 25 is connected to the scan control device 32 and processes the operation signals input to the scan control device 32. Furthermore, it controls the table 26, the RF drive unit 22, the gradient coil drive unit 23, and the data acquisition unit 24 by outputting control signals to these units. The controller unit 25 also controls the data processing unit 31 and one or more display units 33 based on the operation signals received from the scan control device 32 in order to acquire a desired image.

[0024] The scan control device 32 includes user input devices (such as a touchscreen, keyboard, and mouse). The scan control device 32 is used by the operator to input data, such as imaging protocols, and to set up areas where imaging sequences are executed. Data related to imaging protocols and imaging sequence execution areas are output to the controller unit 25.

[0025] The data processing unit 31 includes a computer and a recording medium on which a program executed by the computer to perform predetermined data processing is recorded. The data processing unit 31 is connected to the controller unit 25 and performs data processing based on control signals received from the controller unit 25. The data processing unit 31 is also connected to the data acquisition unit 24 and generates spectral data by applying various image processing to the magnetic resonance signal output from the data acquisition unit 24.

[0026] One or more display units 33 include at least one display device that displays an image on the display screen of the display device based on a control signal received from the controller unit 25. One or more display units 33 can display an image relating to an input item (the operator inputs operation data relating to the input item from the scan control device 32). One or more display units 33 can also display a two-dimensional (2D) slice image or a three-dimensional (3D) image of the subject 16 generated by the data processing unit 31.

[0027] During an MRI scan using the MRI device 10, the subject is positioned in the imaging space 18, and an acquisition protocol can be executed to acquire the subject's MR signal. The acquisition protocol may include multiple pulse sequences, in which one or more RF pulses applied by the RF body coil unit 15 create contrast, and the gradient coil unit 13 is controlled to spatially encode the resulting MR signal. The spatially encoded MR signal is received by the RF coil unit 14, digitized, and stored in k-space. Thus, k-space data or k-space dataset can represent the raw MR signal before processing into an image. In some examples, one line in k-space can be filled with the raw MR signal for each pulse sequence (also called repetition time). In other examples, two or more echoes can be generated for each pulse sequence / repetition time, and one line in k-space can be filled with the raw MR signal for each echo. k-space data may be referred to herein as imaging data or MR data.

[0028] As described above, the MRI apparatus 10 may include one or more display units 33. In the examples disclosed herein, one or more display units 33 may include in-room display devices (IRDs) located in the bore housing certain components of the MRI apparatus 10 (e.g., the static magnetic field unit 12, the gradient coil unit 13, and the RF body coil unit 15). Because the magnetic field generated during an MRI scan is strong, the operator of the MRI apparatus 10 may move away from the bore during an active scan. Therefore, one or more display devices may further include an operator console located in the operator control room.

[0029] Figure 2 schematically shows a plan view 200 of the MRI apparatus 10, including a table 26 and a bore 202 located within the scan chamber 204. Adjacent to the scan chamber 204 is an operator control room 206. The operator control room 206 may be equipped with multiple display devices 208. The operator control room 206 is separated from the scan chamber 204 by a wall, which may include a window allowing the operator 210 to view the scan chamber 204 (in particular, the bore 202, the table 26, and the subject to be scanned placed on the table). Figure 3 schematically shows a front view 300 of the MRI apparatus 10, showing the view from the operator 210 when in the operator control room 206. The bore 202 houses a static magnetic field magnet unit 12, a gradient coil unit 13, an RF body coil unit 15, and various electrical connections. In some examples, a T / R switch 20, an RF drive unit 22, a gradient coil drive unit 23, a data acquisition unit 24, and / or a controller unit 25 can also be housed within the bore 202. The bore 202 includes an opening that forms an imaging space 18, and the table 26 is configured to move in and out of the opening / imaging space 18 to scan a subject.

[0030] Before starting the MRI scan, operator 210 is in the scanning room 204 with the subject (not shown in Figure 2) to assist in positioning the subject on table 26 and to install one or more RF coil units (such as RF coil unit 14) onto the subject. Once positioning is complete, operator 210 connects each RF coil unit to the corresponding port on table 26 (e.g., port 27). When the scan starts, table 26 moves to bore 202 and operator 210 moves to operator control room 206.

[0031] Various aspects of the scan are visualized and controlled by one or more display units 33. For example, as shown in Figure 3, an IRD 302 is located in the bore 202. Furthermore, multiple display devices 208 in the operator control room 206 may include an operator console 304. Each of the IRD 302 and the operator console 304 is a non-limiting example of one or more display units 33, and each of the IRD 302 and the operator console 304 can be communicated with the scan control device 32. As will be described in detail below, the IRD 302 can display an IRD graphical user interface that visualizes a limited amount of information related to initiating a scan (such as information regarding subject positioning, coil placement, landmark setting, etc.). The IRD GUI may include user interface elements (e.g., buttons) configured to receive user input (e.g., touch input) for purposes such as placing landmarks or initiating a scan. The operator console 304 displays a scan control GUI that presents scan-related information and accepts user input, enabling the selection of scan protocols, display of localizer scan images, setting of scan parameters, display of scan progress, and display of diagnostic images. In a non-limiting example, the multiple display devices 208 in the operator control room 206 may further include display devices that are communicatively connected to image archiving and communication systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), and / or electronic medical records (EMR) systems, and display devices that are communicatively connected to contrast agent monitoring devices.

[0032] Referring to Figure 4, a scan control device 402 configured to control scan parameters of an MRI scan is shown. In some embodiments, the scan control device 402 is integrated into the MRI apparatus 10. For example, the scan control device 402 may be provided as a scan control device 32 within the MRI apparatus 10. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the scan control device 402 is located in a device (e.g., an edge device, server, etc.) that is communicably connected to the MRI apparatus 10 via wired and / or wireless connections. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the scan control device 402 is located in a separate device (e.g., a workstation) that can communicate with the controller unit and / or IRD302 of the MRI apparatus. The scan control device 402 is operably / communicatively coupled with a user input device 422, at least one display device 420, and one or more cameras 424. In some examples, the user input device 422 may be the user input device of the scan control device 32 described above. Similarly, the display device 420 may be one or more display units 33 (e.g., IRD302) of the MRI apparatus 10. One or more cameras 424 may include one or more visible light cameras (e.g., RGB cameras or monochrome cameras) and / or one or more depth cameras located in the scan room (e.g., scan room 204). One or more cameras 424 may be positioned to photograph the table and the subject (e.g., table 26 and subject 16) before and / or while the MRI device is performing a scan.

[0033] The scan control device 402 includes one or more processors (such as processor 404) configured to execute machine-readable instructions stored in non-temporary memory 406. Processor 404 may be single-core or multi-core, and the program executed on the processor may be configured for parallel processing or for distributed processing. In some embodiments, processor 404 may optionally include separate components distributed across two or more remotely located and / or coordinated devices. In some embodiments, one or more aspects of processor 404 may be virtualized and executed by a remotely accessible network-attached computing device configured in a cloud computing configuration.

[0034] Non-temporary memory 406 can store the camera module 408, the scan control module 410, the coil connection module 412, and the IRD GUI 414. The camera module 408 can be configured to receive video feeds from one or more cameras 424 and process each video feed. This processing may include analyzing each video feed to determine the current position of a table, a subject, an RF coil unit, and / or other objects. This processing may further provide a live video feed that is included in one or more GUIs (e.g., IRD GUI 414) output for display on at least one display device 420, which will be described in detail later.

[0035] The scan control module 410 can be configured to send commands to the MRI device (e.g., to the controller unit 25) to control the type of scan performed by the MRI device. In some examples, the scan control module 410 can control the type of scan based on user input (which can be received through the IRD GUI 414). For example, the IRD GUI 414 may include a scan start button for the user (e.g., operator 210) to instruct the MRI device to start scanning the patient. User input used to control the type of scan is received through a GUI displayed on the operator console (e.g., operator console 304), which includes a scan configuration display panel through which the user can set scan parameters (e.g., whether parameter mapping is performed, whether the scan includes parallel imaging, etc.).

[0036] The coil connection module 412 can be configured to determine the status of each RF coil port (such as port 27) on the MRI device table. The status of each port can be selected from a list of possible states, which include, for example, idle (e.g., no RF coil is connected to the port), correctly connected coil (e.g., an RF coil is connected to the port and the RF coil is fitted to the port), and incorrectly connected coil (e.g., an RF coil is connected to the port, but the RF coil is not fitted to the port). The status of each port can be displayed by the IRD GUI 414. The coil connection module 412 determines the status of each port based on the number of pins of the connector connected to the port for the RF coil. Based on the number of pins, the number of channels of the RF coil is determined. Therefore, the port sends a signal to the coil connection module 412 indicating the number of connected pins, and the coil connection module 412 can determine the number of channels of the RF coil based on the number of connected pins. Based on the number of channels of the RF coil, the coil connection module 412 can determine whether the RF coil is fitted to the port. However, in some examples, additional information may be sent from the RF coil to the coil connection module 412 via the port. For example, once the connection between the RF coil connector and the port is established, the port transmits a signal to the coil connection module 412 indicating the RF coil model / type (e.g., head and neck array, knee, etc.), the RF coil manufacturer, etc. The RF coil may transmit this information directly through the connection between the connector and the port (e.g., through pins) or indirectly through a wireless authentication tag, etc. The coil connection module 412 stores a lookup table in memory, which associates RF coil identification information (information identified by name, type, channel number, and / or manufacturer) with compatible ports on a particular MRI device / table. Some RF coils may be compatible with only one port, while others may be compatible with multiple ports.Furthermore, some RF coils (such as 48-channel RF coils) require simultaneous connection to two ports, and this can also be recorded in the lookup table.

[0037] In some embodiments, the non-temporary memory 406 may include components located on two or more devices, which may be located remotely and / or configured for collaborative processing. In some embodiments, one or more aspects of the non-temporary memory 406 may include remotely accessible network storage devices configured in a cloud computing configuration.

[0038] The user input device 422 may include one or more touchscreens, keyboards, mice, trackpads, motion-sensing cameras, or other devices configured to allow the user to interact with and handle data in the scan control device 402. For example, the user input device 422 may allow the user to select a scan protocol, adjust scan default settings, start a scan, pause a scan, and adjust the scan.

[0039] The display device 420 may include one or more display devices utilizing most types of technology. The display device 420 may be housed in a shared enclosure in combination with the processor 404, non-temporary memory 406, and / or user input device 422, and may include peripheral display devices such as a monitor, touchscreen, projector, or other known display devices, which allow the user to view MRI images generated by the MRI device and / or interact with various data stored in the non-temporary memory 406. For example, the display device 420 may include an IRD 302 that can display the IRD GUI 414.

[0040] It should be understood that the scan control device 402 shown in Figure 2 is for illustrative purposes only and not limiting. Another suitable image processing system may include a larger number of components, a smaller number of components, or different components.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a display screen 500 of a first example of the IRD GUI 501. The IRD GUI 501 is an example of the IRD GUI 414 and can be displayed on the IRD 302. The IRD GUI 501 may include three main display areas, including a first display area 502, a second display area 504, and a third display area 506. The first display area 502 includes a live video feed 507 acquired from a camera located in the scan room (e.g., one of one or more cameras 424). The live video feed 507 shows the subject being scanned (here, patient 508) on the table 510 of the MRI apparatus. The table 510 can be placed in a home position, in which the table 510 is coupled to the bore 512 of the MRI apparatus but is located completely outside the bore 512. In the illustrated example, the RF coil 509 is placed on patient 508 and is therefore shown in the live video feed 507.

[0042] The first display area 502 further includes an overlay schematically showing relevant parts and information that cannot be seen in the live video feed 507. The overlay includes a schematic diagram of an RF coil embedded in the table 510, which includes a first rear RF coil 514 and a second rear RF coil 516. In at least some examples, the overlay may further include a landmark indicator. The landmark indicator may include a movable element (here a handle 518) positioned at the center of a patient / anatomical landmark and a set of crosshairs 519 (e.g., vertical and horizontal lines) extending from the handle 518. The handle 518 can be repositioned in response to user input (e.g., the user can perform a drag-and-drop operation on the handle 518), and the set of crosshairs 519 can be moved along with the handle 518. The relative position of the handle 518 to the patient 508 defines a landmark, which can be used by the scan control device to set the scan mode (for example, how far to move the table 510 into the bore 512 to center the landmark in the bore 512).

[0043] The overlay displayed in the first display area 502 may further include multiple port status indicators. As shown in Figure 5, the multiple port status indicators include a first port status indicator 520, a second port status indicator 522, a third port status indicator 524, and a fourth port status indicator 526. Each port status indicator may include an icon having a visual appearance that indicates the current state of each RF coil port in the table (the current state is determined, for example, by the coil connection module 412). Each port status indicator may be placed on the overlay such that it roughly coincides with the location in the table where the port represented by the port status indicator is located. For example, in the example shown in Figure 5, the first port status indicator 520 includes an icon (here a colored rectangle) indicating the state of a first port (for example, P1 labeled on the first port status indicator 520), and the first port status indicator 520 is located in the upper left corner of the overlay to indicate that the location of the first port is the upper left corner of the table 510. The second port status indicator 522 includes a similar icon indicating the status of a second port (for example, P2, labeled on the second port status indicator 522), and the second port status indicator 522 is located in the upper right corner of the overlay, its position corresponding to the location of the second port, which is located in the upper right corner of the table 510. The third port status indicator 524 also includes a similar icon indicating the status of a third port (for example, P3, labeled on the third port status indicator 524), and the third port status indicator 524 is located in the lower right corner of the overlay, its position corresponding to the location of the third port, which is located in the lower right corner of the table 510. The fourth port status indicator 526 includes a similar icon indicating the status of the fourth port (for example, P4, which is labeled on the fourth port status indicator 526), ​​and the fourth port status indicator 526 is located in the lower left corner of the overlay, and its position corresponds to the position of the fourth port located in the lower left corner of the table 510.

[0044] On the first display screen 500, each port status indicator has a first visual appearance that indicates that each port is currently idle (e.g., not connected to an RF coil). In the illustrated example, the first visual appearance is a square icon having a first color (e.g., gray), but other visual appearances are also possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 11 shows another display screen 1100 of the IRD GUI 501. Specifically, Figure 11 shows a first display area 502, in which overlay elements (e.g., multiple port status indicators, display of rear RF coil elements, and landmark indicators) are shown with solid lines, and elements of the live camera feed are shown with dashed lines. It should be understood that the live camera feed can be replaced with a schematic diagram of a table (and optionally, the subject being imaged) without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] The second display area 504 may include various display elements that visualize information about the patient 508, the scan being performed, and the RF coil port. For example, the second display area 504 may include a first tile 530 that displays patient information (e.g., name, medical record number, date of birth), a second tile 532 that displays the selected scan protocol to be performed when scanning the patient, and a menu 534 that shows the selected patient position on a table. The menu 534 is selectable, allowing the user to view other options for patient positioning and select the desired position.

[0047] The second display area 504 further includes a coil connection card 536 that displays compatibility information for each RF coil port. For example, the coil connection card 536 includes first port compatibility information 538 that displays compatibility information for the first port. The coil connection card 536 further includes second port compatibility information 540 that displays compatibility information for the second port, third port compatibility information 542 that displays compatibility information for the second port, and fourth port compatibility information 544 that displays compatibility information for the fourth port. The compatibility information displayed in each area can be changed based on the status of the corresponding port. In the first display screen 500, since each port is idle, the compatibility information may include information about the configuration of each port (such as the maximum number of channels configured to be connected to the port, and whether the port accepts receive-only RF coils or transmit / receive RF coils). For example, the text of the first port compatibility information 538 may include a port number (P1) to identify the port and "32chRX" to indicate that the first port is compatible with a 32-channel (or fewer than 32 channels) receive-only coil. Furthermore, in the first display screen 500, the coil connection card 536 has a first visual appearance to convey the idle status of each port (e.g., without highlights, ambient color, status indicators, etc.).

[0048] The second display area 504 may include additional display elements to convey selected patient parameters and table position information. For example, multiple display elements may display patient electrocardiogram (ECG) information (such as the first ECG display element 546 and the second ECG display element 548), patient pulse rate, patient respiratory rate, etc. Furthermore, the table position element 550 may display the current position of the patient table relative to its home position. Once a landmark is identified, the value displayed in the table position element 550 is changed to the distance from the isocenter where the scan is performed.

[0049] The third display area 506 includes a selection of user interface elements 552 (such as buttons), and when these user interface elements 552 are selected, various actions occur. For example, the selection of user interface elements 552 may include a camera element for displaying or ending a live video feed 507, a landmark button for displaying a landmark indicator, and an ECG button for displaying the patient's ECG waveform (e.g., an ECG waveform displayed in an ECG display element). The selection of user interface elements 552 may further include a scan start element 554, and when the scan start element 554 is selected, the table 510 moves to the bore 512 and the patient scan begins.

[0050] In some cases, the IRD GUI 501 may not include a live video feed 507. For example, the user may disable the live camera feed, or the MRI device may not include a camera configured to provide a live feed for inclusion in the IRD GUI 501. In such cases, the first display area 502 includes a schematic diagram of table 510 that is roughly the same size and shape as table 510, and the port status indicators are located in the same positions as shown in Figure 5 (e.g., the schematicly shown corners of the table).

[0051] Figure 6 shows the second display screen 600 of the IRD GUI 501. The second display screen 600 is identical to the first display screen 500 except for the following: a schematic table is shown instead of a live camera feed; the status of two of the multiple ports has been changed; therefore, the visual appearance of two of the multiple port status indicators has been changed in the second display screen 600 compared to the first display screen 500; and the information displayed in two of the multiple port compatibility information areas has been changed in the second display screen 600 compared to the first display screen 500. Specifically, the first RF coil is connected to the first port, and the second RF coil is connected to the second port. The first RF coil is compatible with the first port, and the second RF coil is compatible with the second port. As a result, the first port status indicator 520 has a second visual appearance indicating a proper / adapted connection between the first RF coil and the first port, and the second port status indicator 522 has a second visual appearance indicating a proper / adapted connection between the second RF coil and the second port. The second visual appearance may differ from the first visual appearance of the port status indicator on the first display screen 500, for example, it may be a different color (e.g., green instead of gray). Since the third and fourth ports remain idle, the third port status indicator 524 and the fourth port status indicator 526 still have the first visual appearance.

[0052] The coil connection card 536 is also updated to reflect the changes in the port status of the first and second ports. The first port compatibility information 538 includes a compatibility indicator (e.g., a green checkmark) indicating that the first RF coil is compatible with the first port. The first port compatibility information 538 also includes information about the first RF coil (e.g., the coil type and number of channels of the first RF coil (e.g., an 8-channel foot / uncle array)). The second port compatibility information 540 similarly includes a compatibility indicator and information about the second RF coil (e.g., the second RF coil is a 16-channel transmit / receive knee array).

[0053] In some cases, the coil connection card 536 on the second display screen 600 can be updated to a second visual appearance compared to the coil connection card 536 on the first display screen 500. For example, on the second display screen 600, the periphery of the coil connection card 536 can be displayed in green to indicate that each connection in the current RF coil-port connection is compatible. Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 6, the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to connected ports on the coil connection card 536 can have a different visual appearance than the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to unconnected ports on the coil connection card 536. For example, the text for ports connected to the RF coil can be displayed in a different color, bold, and / or larger font compared to the text for unconnected ports.

[0054] Therefore, when one or more ports are connected to their respective RF coils, the IRD GUI 501 is updated, and the corresponding port compatibility indicator icon and the visual appearance of the coil connection card are changed. On the second display screen 600, all detected RF coil-port connections are determined to be compatible. Therefore, since no non-compliance issues that could prevent the success of the diagnostic scan have been detected, the scan initiation element 554 is displayed as selectable (e.g., displayed in color, highlighted, or otherwise emphasized). Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of the table, but it should be understood that a live video feed may be displayed on the second display screen 600, as shown in Figure 5.

[0055] Figure 7 shows the third display screen 700 of the IRD GUI 501. The third display screen 700 is identical to the first display screen 500 except for the following: a schematic table is shown instead of a live camera feed; the status of one of the multiple ports has changed; therefore, the visual appearance of one of the multiple port status indicators is different in the third display screen 700 compared to the first display screen 500; and the information displayed in one of the multiple port compatibility information areas is different in the third display screen 700 compared to the first display screen 500. Specifically, a third RF coil is connected to the first port. The third RF coil is not compatible with the first port. Therefore, the first port status indicator 520 has a third visual appearance indicating that the connection between the third RF coil and the first port is improper. The third visual appearance can be a specific color (e.g., red) that differs from the first visual appearance of the port status indicator and from the second visual appearance of the port status indicator shown on the second display screen 600. Since the second port, third port, and fourth port remain idle, the second port status indicator 522, the third port status indicator 524, and the fourth port status indicator 526 still have the first visual appearance.

[0056] The coil connection card 536 is also updated to reflect the change in the port status of the first port. The first port compatibility information 538 includes a non-compatibility indicator (e.g., a red triangle with an exclamation mark) indicating that the third RF coil is not compatible with the first port. The first port compatibility information 538 further includes information about the third RF coil (e.g., the coil type and number of channels of the third RF coil (e.g., a 21-channel head and neck array)).

[0057] In some cases, the coil connection card 536 on the third display screen 700 can be updated to a third visual appearance compared to the coil connection card 536 on the first display screen 500. For example, on the third display screen 700, the periphery of the coil connection card 536 may be displayed in red, indicating that at least one of the current RF coil-port connections among the current multiple RF coil-port connections is non-compliant. Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 7, the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to the connected ports of the coil connection card 536 may have a different visual appearance than the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to the unconnected ports of the coil connection card 536. For example, the text for ports connected to RF coils may be displayed in a different color, bold, and / or larger font compared to the text for unconnected ports.

[0058] Furthermore, the IRD GUI 501 of the third display screen 700 includes an alert icon 702 that provides additional information regarding the non-conforming coil-port connection. In the illustrated example, the alert icon 702 is in the form of a banner that extends along the top of the second display area 504 (e.g., obscuring the first tile 530). The alert icon 702 may have a visual appearance that contrasts with the visual appearance of the underlying elements of the IRD GUI (e.g., a specific one or more colors). The alert icon 702 includes text that conveys the non-conformity issue (e.g., the coil is not valid at the first port) and, if possible, suggests one or more ports that can be used for connecting the RF coil.

[0059] Therefore, when one or more ports are connected to their respective RF coils, the IRD GUI 501 is updated, and the corresponding port compatibility indicator icon and the visual appearance of the coil connection card are changed. On the third display screen 700, all detected RF coil-port connections are determined to be incompatible. Therefore, since incompatibility issues that could prevent the success of the diagnostic scan have been detected, the scan initiation element 554 is displayed as unavailable (e.g., no color is displayed, no highlighting is included, or it is not highlighted in any other way). Therefore, the user cannot start scanning the patient until the coil connections are adjusted to be compatible. Figure 7 shows a schematic representation of the table, but note that the third display screen 700 may also display a live video feed as shown in Figure 5.

[0060] Figure 8 shows the IRD GUI 501 on the fourth display screen 800. The fourth display screen 800 is identical to the first display screen 500 except for the following: a table is displayed instead of a live camera feed; the status of three of the multiple ports has changed; therefore, the visual appearance of three of the multiple port status indicators is changed on the fourth display screen 800 compared to the first display screen 500; and the information displayed in three of the multiple port compatibility information areas is changed on the fourth display screen 800 compared to the first display screen 500. Specifically, the fourth RF coil is connected to the first port, the fifth RF coil is connected to the second port, and the sixth RF coil is connected to the third port. The fourth RF coil is not compatible with the first port, the fifth RF coil is compatible with the second port, and the sixth RF coil is not compatible with the third port. Therefore, the first port status indicator 520 has a third visual appearance (similar to the third visual appearance on the third display screen 700) indicating that the connection between the fourth RF coil and the first port is improper. The second port status indicator 522 has a second visual appearance (similar to the second visual appearance on the second display screen 600) indicating that the connection between the fifth RF coil and the second port is proper. The third port status indicator 524 has a third visual appearance indicating that the connection between the sixth RF coil and the third port is improper. Since the fourth port is idle, the fourth port status indicator 526 still has the first visual appearance.

[0061] The coil connection card 536 is also updated to reflect changes in the port status of the first port, the second port, and the third port. The first port compatibility information 538 includes a mismatch indicator indicating that the fourth RF coil is not compatible with the first port. The first port compatibility information 538 further includes information about the fourth RF coil (e.g., the coil type and number of channels of the third RF coil (e.g., a 21-channel head and neck array)). The third port compatibility information 542 similarly includes a mismatch indicator and information about the sixth RF coil. The second port compatibility information 540 includes a compatibility indicator indicating that the fifth RF coil is compatible with the second port and information about the fifth RF coil.

[0062] In some examples, the coil connection card 536 in the fourth display screen 800 can be updated to a third visual appearance compared to the coil connection card 536 in the first display screen 500. For example, in the fourth display screen 800, the periphery of the coil connection card 536 may be displayed in red, indicating that at least one of the current RF coil-port connections among the multiple current RF coil-port connections is non-compliant. Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 8, the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to the connected ports of the coil connection card 536 may have a different visual appearance than the text displayed in the port compatibility information corresponding to the unconnected ports of the coil connection card 536. For example, the text for ports connected to RF coils may be displayed in a different color, bold, and / or larger font compared to the text for unconnected ports.

[0063] Furthermore, the IRD GUI 501 on the fourth display screen 800 includes an alert icon 702 that provides additional information about one of several non-conforming coil-port connections. In the illustrated example, the alert icon 702 includes text indicating a non-conformity issue (e.g., the coil is not valid at the first port) and, where possible, suggests one or more ports that can be used to connect to the RF coil. Since multiple non-conforming coil-port connections have been detected, the alert icon 702 may include additional text indicating a third port conformity issue (not shown in Figure 8), or the alert icon 702 may toggle and display non-conformity information for each port of the non-conforming connection.

[0064] Therefore, when one or more ports are connected to their respective RF coils, the IRD GUI 501 is updated, and the icon of the corresponding port compatibility indicator and the visual appearance of the coil connection card are changed. On the fourth display screen 800, it is determined that some of the detected RF coil-port connections are incompatible. Therefore, since an incompatibility issue has been detected that may prevent the success of the diagnostic scan, the scan start element 554 is displayed as unavailable (e.g., no color is displayed, no highlighting is included, or it is not highlighted in any other way). Therefore, the user cannot start scanning the patient until the coil connections are adjusted to be compatible. Figure 8 shows a schematic representation of the table, but note that the fourth display screen 800 may also display a live video feed as shown in Figure 5.

[0065] The third and fourth display screens 700 and 800 of the IRD GUI 501 as shown herein illustrate one type of coil connection mismatch, namely, the incorrect type of RF coil connected to a given port. However, other mismatch issues may be detected and communicated through the IRD GUI 501, such as multiple RF coils connected to a single coil, only one connector of a multi-connector RF coil connected to a port, and a non-scanning coil connected. Furthermore, the text displayed on the alert icon 702 is not limited, and other text may be displayed. For example, if the wrong type of RF coil is connected, the text on the alert icon 702 may not include the text "The coil is not valid on P1," but rather "The coil is valid, but not on this port, i.e., Port: Port 1 (P1)." Other text that can be displayed on the alert icon when an incompatible connection is detected includes: "Please reconnect the coil," "The connected coil will not be used for scanning. Additional parts may be required," "The wrong coil is connected to port P3. Connect that coil to P2 or P4 instead," "Multiple coils are connected to a single port - [Coil Name 1; Coil Name 2]," and "Only one connector (P1) of a two-connector coil is connected. Connect to a different port."

[0066] Figure 9 shows a method 900 for scanning a patient with an MRI device (such as the MRI device 10 in Figure 1). Although method 900 is described with respect to the systems and components in Figures 1 to 4, it should be understood that method 900 can be implemented with other systems and components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Method 900 is executed according to instructions stored in the non-temporary memory of the computing device, such as memory 406 in Figure 4, and is executed by the processor of the computing device (such as processor 404 in Figure 2).

[0067] In step 902, method 900 includes receiving an instruction that the subject to be scanned (here, a patient) is placed on the table of the MRI machine. For example, the operator of the MRI machine (e.g., a technician, radiologist, etc.) may enter a user input that identifies the patient, or other user input that indicates that the patient scan is about to begin. As another example, the operator may move the table to the home position to place the patient on the table, and the fact that the table is in the home position may give an instruction that the patient is placed on the table (or about to be placed on the table).

[0068] In step 904, the IRD GUI is output and displayed on a display device, such as an in-room display device located in the bore of the MRI system (e.g., IRD302 located in bore 202). The IRD GUI displays information related to patient positioning and scan settings (e.g., patient information, scan protocol information, etc.). The IRD GUI includes a live camera feed showing the patient placed on the table and displays an overlay including landmark indicators and / or multiple port status indicators. Before the patient is first placed on the table and the RF coils are connected to the MRI system, each port status indicator in the IRD GUI has a first visual appearance indicating that each port of the MRI system is idle. For example, the IRD GUI initially displayed may be the IRD GUI of the first display screen shown in Figure 5. It should be understood that the camera feed is optional, and even if the camera feed is not included in the IRD GUI, the overlay including the port status indicators can still be displayed in the IRD GUI.

[0069] In step 906, method 900 includes monitoring coil-port connections and updating the IRD GUI as instructed. This is described in more detail below with reference to Figure 10. In short, each port of the MRI device can be monitored so that when a connection between a port and an RF coil is established, the IRD GUI is updated to reflect that connection and can indicate whether the connection is compatible or not, allowing the operator to start a scan and leave the scan room after correctly connecting each desired RF coil.

[0070] In step 908, method 900 includes positioning and / or adjusting landmarks and updating the IRD GUI accordingly. As illustrated in Figure 5, the IRD GUI may include landmark indicators that designate specific patient anatomical regions as landmarks to assist in the positioning and scanning of the patient within the bore of the MRI apparatus. Landmark indicators can be positioned and / or moved based on user input. In some examples, landmark indicators (e.g., a set of crosshairs and handles) are positioned on the IRD GUI at a location corresponding to where the operator tapped an area including the live camera feed and overlays of the IRD GUI, and the operator can then drag the handles to the desired position. In other examples, landmark indicators are positioned on the IRD GUI based on the selected scan protocol and / or based on user input to a table (e.g., the operator touches the table to set the vertical position of the landmark indicators), and the operator can then drag the handles to the desired position. It should be understood that landmark indicators can be positioned before or after the RF coils are inserted into the corresponding ports, or that landmark indicators may not be displayed on the IRD GUI.

[0071] In step 910, if requested, the scan is initiated. For example, the IRD GUI may include a user interface element (e.g., scan initiation element 554) that, when selected, moves the table into the bore of the MRI device and initiates the scan. The patient scan involves preparing for contrast by generating RF excitation pulses (e.g., using one or more surface / local RF coils from a plurality of surface / local RF coils) and magnetic gradient pulses (e.g., using a gradient coil unit 13) at specific timings and in specific order, encoding spatial information into an MR signal, and the MR signal being detected by one or more surface / local RF coils (e.g., RF coil unit 14). The detected MR signal is then converted into an image. In some examples, the scan may be initiated from a localizer scan to ensure that the patient is properly positioned before initiating a full diagnostic scan. Then, method 900 ends.

[0072] In relation to Figure 9, it should be understood that while the IRD GUI described above is displayed, the operator console (such as operator console 304) can display a scan control GUI that is different from the IRD GUI. The scan control GUI can provide scan-related information and accept user input to enable the selection of scan protocols, display of localizer scan images, setting of scan parameters, display of scan progress, and display of diagnostic images. In some examples, coil and port information can be displayed using the coil connection tab of the scan control GUI. However, the coil connection tab of the scan control GUI may only include the coil name and port number (e.g., a 21-channel head and neck array connected to port 1), and may not include compatibility information or a visual representation of where the port is located. For example, the scan control GUI may not include table and patient images.

[0073] Figure 10 shows a method 1000 for monitoring RF coil-port connections in an MRI device (such as the MRI device 10 in Figure 1). Although method 1000 is described in relation to the systems and components in Figures 1 to 4, it should be understood that method 1000 can be implemented in other systems and components without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Method 1000 is executed according to instructions stored in the non-temporary memory of the computing device (such as memory 406 in Figure 4) and executed by the processor of the computing device (such as processor 404 in Figure 2). In some examples, method 1000 is executed as part of method 900 (for example, in step 906 of method 900).

[0074] In step 1002, method 1000 outputs an IRD GUI having a display of available RF coil ports. The IRD GUI may be the IRD GUI 501 described in Figures 5-8. The display of available RF coil ports may include port status indicators displayed as an overlay on the live camera feed, as shown in step 1004. However, in some examples, the port status indicators may be displayed on a schematic diagram of the MRI apparatus table, as shown in Figures 6-8. The port status indicators may be displayed in positions that roughly correspond to the actual locations of the RF coil ports on the MRI apparatus table. When no RF coils are connected, each port status indicator may have a first visual appearance indicating that each port is currently idle, as shown in Figure 5.

[0075] As shown in step 1006, the display of available RF coil ports may include a coil connection card. The coil connection card can display information about each RF coil port (such as the port number and the type of RF coil that the port can accept). When no RF coils are connected, the coil card may have a first visual appearance indicating that each port is currently idle, as shown in Figure 5.

[0076] In step 1008, method 1000 detects whether an RF coil is connected to a port. An RF coil connected to a port can be detected based on a signal output by the port (such as a signal indicating the number of pins connected to the port on the RF coil's connector). In some examples, additional signals indicating the manufacturer, model, etc., of the RF coil may be output from the port or received by a computing device.

[0077] If no connection between the RF coil and the port is detected, method 1000 returns to step 1002 and continues outputting the IRD GUI, which shows the available ports (e.g., idle ports). If a coil-port connection is detected, method 1000 proceeds to step 1012 to determine whether the coil and port are compatible based on the number of pins connected to the port of the RF coil connector and / or based on the RF coil manufacturer, model, etc. The number of connected pins can be used to determine the number of channels of the RF coil. The computing device can, for example, use a lookup table stored in memory (as described in Figure 4) to determine which port of the MRI device is compatible with the RF coil based on the number of channels, and in some examples, further based on the RF coil manufacturer, model, etc.

[0078] If the RF coil and port are determined to be compatible, method 1000 proceeds to step 1014, updating the IRD GUI to display compatible coil-port connections. Updating the IRD GUI to display compatible coil-port connections includes updating the port status indicators representing the ports and updating the coil connection card, as shown in step 1016. The port status indicators representing the ports of the detected coil-port connections may be adjusted to have a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance (such as the visual appearance of the first port status indicator 520 in Figure 6). Similarly, the coil connection card may be updated to include compatibility indicators in the area of ​​the connected ports and to display information about the connected RF coils, as shown in Figure 6. In some examples, updating the IRD GUI to display compatible coil-port connections includes updating or maintaining the scan start elements so that the scan start elements are displayed as selectable, as shown in step 1018.

[0079] In step 1020, method 1000 includes determining whether a scan start request has been received (for example, through user input to the scan start element). If a scan start request has been received, method 1000 terminates. If no scan start request has been received, method 1000 proceeds to step 1002 and outputs an IRD GUI with a display of available ports (in this case, including updated port status indicators and coil connection cards).

[0080] Returning to step 1012, if it is determined that the RF coil and the port to which the RF coil is connected are incompatible (for example, if the RF coil-port connection is an incompatible connection), method 1000 proceeds to step 1022 to update the IRD GUI to display the incompatible coil-port connection. Updating the IRD GUI to display the incompatible coil-port connection may include updating the port status indicator representing the port and updating the coil connection card, as shown in step 1024. The port status indicator representing the port of the detected coil-port connection may be adjusted to have a third visual appearance different from the first and second visual appearances of the port status indicator (such as the visual appearance of the first port status indicator 520 in Figure 7). Similarly, the coil connection card may be updated to have a visual appearance different from the visual appearance of the coil connection card when the port is idle or only compatible connections are detected (for example, the color around the card is changed). The coil connection card may also be updated to include an incompatible indicator in the area of ​​the connected port, as shown in Figure 7, and to display information about the connected RF coil. Furthermore, the IRD GUI can be updated to include alert icons (such as alert icon 702) that convey additional information about non-compliant connections. In some examples, updating the IRD GUI to display non-compliant coil-port connections may include updating or maintaining scan initiation elements, as shown in step 1026, so that scan initiation elements are displayed as unavailable. Method 1000 then proceeds to step 1008 to continue monitoring for new or updated RF coil-port connections.

[0081] Therefore, disclosed herein is a dedicated system for real-time coil guidance in an MRI environment (e.g., a scan control device in combination with an MRI apparatus). This system integrates hardware and software components and provides dynamic and visual feedback of coil connection status through a disclosed IRD GUI, improving the efficiency and accuracy of MRI setup procedures. The system connects directly to the RF coil port of the MRI apparatus and actively monitors the physical connection status of each coil in real time. This involves continuous electrical signal processing to detect the presence and compatibility of the coils.

[0082] In MRI systems equipped with in-room cameras, the IRD GUI overlays digital information onto the live camera feed. This requires precise spatial calibration and real-time image processing to accurately map the coil port positions onto the video stream.

[0083] The IRD GUI disclosed herein is an adaptive user interface in which the system dynamically generates and updates the GUI based on the current state of the coil connection. This includes processing data in real time to interpret the coil connection state, dynamically generating visual elements (color, shape, icon) corresponding to the connection state, and instantly updating the display / GUI in response to physical changes in the coil connection.

[0084] Furthermore, the system analyzes the connected coils in real time against the specifications of each port to determine whether the coils are correctly connected or if they are in an inappropriate combination. This includes maintaining a database of coil and port specifications, running compatibility algorithms to cross-reference the requirements of connected coils and ports, and generating appropriate visual and textual feedback based on the analysis results.

[0085] The system described herein uses a combination of visual cues (color, shape, icon) and text information to communicate complex state information in an easily interpretable format. This requires the design and implementation of a consistent visual language for state representation, the development of algorithms to translate technical state data into appropriate visual and textual cues, and the implementation of accessibility features to ensure that users with diverse visual abilities can understand the information.

[0086] Furthermore, the system proactively identifies incorrect coil connections or potential problems and warns the user. This includes continuous monitoring and analysis of coil connection data, implementation of error detection algorithms, and generation and display of situation-specific warning messages. It is important to understand that it may be difficult for a person to determine whether a coil-port connection is compliant or compliant. This is because RF coil connectors and ports may not be labeled, and different RF coils may have connectors that are visually similar to each other and can be connected to a variety of different ports, allowing a connector to be connected even if the RF coil is not actually compatible with that port.

[0087] Furthermore, the system is configured to function with both MRI systems equipped with cameras and those without, requiring the development of adaptive rendering algorithms suitable for different display contexts and the implementation of a flexible software architecture that can accommodate diverse hardware configurations.

[0088] The technical benefit of determining the connection status of each of the multiple ports configured to connect RF coils to the MRI device, and generating a GUI that includes a port status indicator for each port with a visual appearance based on the port connection status, is that it can inform the user whether the RF coil-port connection is incorrect or correct, and the user can correct the incorrect connection before starting the scan. In this way, the re-execution of scans can be reduced, image quality can be improved, and the efficiency of the computing device that controls the MRI device and generates images can be improved.

[0089] This disclosure also provides support for a system. The system includes a display device, one or more processors, and a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, which includes the memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform the following: determining the connection status of each port of a plurality of ports, each port of the plurality of ports being configured to couple radio frequency (RF) coils to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device; generating a graphical user interface (GUI) including a port status indicator for each port, each port status indicator generating a graphical user interface (GUI) having a visual appearance based on the port's connection status; and outputting the GUI so that the GUI is displayed on the display device. In a first embodiment of the system, the display device is an in-room display device located in the bore of the MRI device. In a second embodiment of the system, which optionally includes the first embodiment, determining the connection status of each port includes determining that each port is in an unconnected state, and generating the GUI includes generating the GUI having a coil connection card that displays conformity information for each of the plurality of ports, and setting each port status indicator to have a first visual appearance indicating the unconnected state. In a third embodiment of the system, which optionally includes one or both of the first and second embodiments, determining the connection status of each port includes determining that the first connection status of the first port among the plurality of ports has changed from the unconnected state to a conforming connection state, and updating the GUI so that the visual appearance of the first port status indicator changes from the first visual appearance to a second visual appearance indicating the conforming connection state, the conforming connection state reflects that the first RF coil connected to the first port is conforming to the first port.In a fourth embodiment of the system, which includes one or more embodiments from the first to third embodiments, or any selection of each embodiment, the coil connection card is further updated to include a suitability indicator for the first port and to display configuration information relating to the first RF coil. In a fifth embodiment of the system, which includes one or more embodiments from the first to fourth embodiments, or any selection of each embodiment, determining the connection status of each port includes determining that the first connection status of the first port among the plurality of ports has changed from the unconnected state to the unsuitable connection state, and updating the GUI to change the visual appearance of the first port status indicator from the first visual appearance to a third visual appearance indicating the unsuitable connection state, the unsuitable connection state reflecting that the first RF coil connected to the first port is unsuitable for the first port. A sixth embodiment of the system, comprising one or more embodiments from the first to fifth embodiments or any selection of each embodiment, further includes updating the coil connection card to include a non-conformity indicator for the first port and to display configuration information relating to the first RF coil. A seventh embodiment of the system, comprising one or more embodiments from the first to sixth embodiments or any selection of each embodiment, further includes updating the GUI to include an alert icon for displaying non-conformity information for the first RF coil. An eighth embodiment of the system, comprising one or more embodiments from the first to seventh embodiments or any selection of each embodiment, wherein a plurality of ports are arranged on a table of an MRI device, and the GUI includes a first display area configured to display a live video feed of the table, each port status indicator being displayed as an overlay on the live video feed, and each port status indicator being positioned in the overlay at a location corresponding to the corresponding port location on the table.

[0090] This disclosure also provides support for a method. The method involves determining the connection status of each of a plurality of ports of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, each of which is configured to connect a radio frequency (RF) coil to the MRI apparatus; generating a graphical user interface (GUI) including a port status indicator for each port, each port status indicator generating a graphical user interface (GUI) having a visual appearance based on the port's connection status; and outputting the GUI so that it is displayed on a display device. In a first embodiment of the method, the display device is located in the bore of the MRI apparatus. In a second embodiment of the Method, which optionally includes the first embodiment, determining the connection status of each of the multiple ports of the MRI apparatus includes determining that a first port of the multiple ports is in an unconnected state and a second port of the multiple ports is in an incompatible connection state, wherein the unconnected state indicates that an RF coil is not coupled to the first port and the incompatible connection state indicates that the first RF coil coupled to the second port is not compatible with the second port; and generating the GUI includes generating a first port status indicator corresponding to the first port and having a first visual appearance, and a second port status indicator corresponding to the second port and having a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance. In a third embodiment of the Method, which optionally includes one or both embodiments of the first and second embodiments, generating the GUI includes generating the GUI having a coil connection card that displays compatibility information for the first port and configuration information for the first RF coil. In a fourth embodiment of the Method, which includes one or more embodiments from the first to third embodiments, or any selection of each embodiment, generating the GUI includes generating the GUI having an alert icon that displays non-conformity information relating to the first RF coil.

[0091] This disclosure also includes support for a method. The method includes determining, based on a signal output by a first port of a plurality of ports located on a table of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, that a first RF coil is connected to the first port; determining, based on the signal, that the first RF coil is not suited to the first port; updating a graphical user interface (GUI) to include a first port status indicator for the first port having a second visual appearance different from a first visual appearance of the first port status indicator, wherein the first port status indicator is displayed in the GUI with the first visual appearance when it is determined that the first port is idle; and outputting the GUI for display on a display device located in the bore of the MRI apparatus. In a first embodiment of the method, the GUI includes one or more additional port status indicators, each additional port status indicator corresponding to each of the remaining ports of the plurality of ports, and each additional port status indicator having a visual appearance based on whether an RF coil is connected to each of the corresponding remaining ports. In a second embodiment of the Method, which optionally includes the first embodiment, a plurality of ports are arranged on a table of an MRI device, and the GUI includes a first display area configured to display a live video feed of the table, each port status indicator being displayed as an overlay on the live video feed, and each port status indicator being positioned in the overlay at a location corresponding to the corresponding port on the table. In a third embodiment of the Method, which optionally includes one or both embodiments of the first and second embodiments, updating the GUI in response to the determination that the first RF coil is not compatible with the first port includes updating the visual appearance of the coil connection card in the GUI and updating the port compatibility information displayed within the coil connection card to indicate that the first RF coil is not compatible with the first port.In a fourth embodiment of the Method, which includes one or more embodiments from the first to third embodiments, or any selection of each embodiment, updating the GUI in response to the determination that the first RF coil is not suitable for the first port includes an alert icon that suggests a different port among a plurality of ports that is suitable for the first RF coil. In a fifth embodiment of the Method, which includes one or more embodiments from the first to fourth embodiments, or any selection of each embodiment, the first visual appearance includes the first port status indicator having a first color, and the second visual appearance includes the first port status indicator having a second color.

[0092] In this specification, an element or step described in the singular and preceded by the words "a" or "an" should be understood not to exclude multiple such elements or steps unless the exclusion of multiple such elements or steps is explicitly stated. Furthermore, a reference to "one embodiment" of the invention is not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that similarly incorporate the described features. Furthermore, unless the opposite is explicitly stated, an embodiment that "comprising, including, having" one or more elements having a particular characteristic may include additional such elements that do not possess that characteristic. The terms "including" and "in which" are used as plain language expressions for the terms "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or specific positional orders on the subjects of those terms.

[0093] This specification discloses the present invention (including the best mode) using examples, and enables persons skilled in the art to practice the invention (e.g., to make and use an apparatus or system, and to perform a method incorporating the invention). The patentable scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples that persons skilled in the art may conceive. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that are not different from the language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the language of the claims.

[0094] The following claims specifically point to certain combinations and subcombinations that are considered novel and non-obvious. These claims may refer to “a certain” element, “a first” element, or equivalents thereof. Such claims should be construed as including one or more such elements incorporated, and not requiring or excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and / or properties may be claimed by amendment of these claims or by presentation of new claims in this application or related applications. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal to or different in scope from the original claims, should be considered to be included in the subject matter of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 10 MRI machine 14 RF coils 26 tables 27 ports 202 Bore

Claims

1. display device (420), One or more processors (404), and A memory (406) that stores instructions executable by one or more processors (404), Determining the connection status of each port (27) of a plurality of ports (906), wherein each port (27) of the plurality of ports is configured to couple a radio frequency (RF) coil (14) to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus (10), (1002) generating a graphical user interface (GUI) (501) including port status indicators (520, 522, 524, 526) for each port, wherein each port status indicator (520, 522, 524, 526) has a visual appearance based on the port connection status, and Outputting the GUI (501) so that it is displayed on the display device (420) (906) A memory that stores instructions that can be executed by one or more processors (404) in order to perform the execution. A system that includes this.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display device is an in-room display device (302) positioned in the bore (202) of the MRI apparatus (10).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein determining the connection status of each port includes determining that each port is in an unconnected state, and generating the GUI includes generating the GUI having a coil connection card (536) that displays compatibility information for each of the plurality of ports (1006), and setting each port status indicator to have a first visual appearance indicating the unconnected state (1004).

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein determining the connection status of each port includes determining that the first connection status of a first port among the plurality of ports has changed from the unconnected state to a compatible connection status, and updating the GUI such that the visual appearance of the first port status indicator changes from the first visual appearance to a second visual appearance indicating the compatible connection status, the compatible connection status reflects that a first RF coil connected to the first port is compatible with the first port.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising updating the coil connection card (1016) to include a compatibility indicator for the first port and to display configuration information relating to the first RF coil.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein determining the connection status of each port includes determining that the first connection status of a first port among the plurality of ports has changed from the disconnected state to the incompatible connection state, and updating the GUI such that the visual appearance of the first port status indicator changes from the first visual appearance to a third visual appearance indicating the incompatible connection state, the incompatible connection state reflects that a first RF coil connected to the first port is incompatible with the first port.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising updating the coil connection card to include a first port incompatibility indicator and to display configuration information relating to the first RF coil (1024).

8. The system according to claim 6, further comprising updating the GUI to include an alert icon (702) for displaying non-conformity information of the first RF coil.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ports are arranged on a table (26) of an MRI apparatus (10), the GUI (501) includes a first display area configured to display a live video feed (507) of the table, each port status indicator is displayed as an overlay on the live video feed, and each port status indicator is positioned in the overlay at a location corresponding to the location of the corresponding port on the table.

10. Determining the connection status of each port (906) of a plurality of ports (27) of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus (10), wherein each of the plurality of ports is configured to connect a radio frequency (RF) coil (14) to the MRI apparatus (10), To generate a graphical user interface (GUI) (501) including port status indicators (520, 522, 524, 526) for each port (1002, 1014, 1022), wherein each port status indicator has a visual appearance based on the port connection status, and Outputting the GUI (501) so that it is displayed on the display device (420) (906) Methods that include...

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the display device is located in the bore (202) of the MRI apparatus (10).

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein determining the connection status of each of the plurality of ports of the MRI apparatus includes determining that a first port among the plurality of ports is in an unconnected state and a second port among the plurality of ports is in an incompatible connection state, wherein the unconnected state indicates that an RF coil is not coupled to the first port and the incompatible connection state indicates that the first RF coil coupled to the second port is incompatible with the second port, and generating the GUI includes generating a first port status indicator corresponding to the first port and having a first visual appearance, and a second port status indicator corresponding to the second port and having a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein generating the GUI includes generating a GUI having a coil connection card (536) that displays compatibility information for the first port and configuration information for the first RF coil.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein generating the GUI includes generating the GUI having an alert icon (702) for displaying non-conformity information relating to the first RF coil.

Images