Acceleration Sensor Unit for Patient Movement Detection in MRI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patient movement during medical imaging procedures, such as magnetic resonance imaging, leads to poor image quality and increased exposure due to the difficulty in integrating optical camera systems within the magnetic or radiation environments of medical imaging apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A medical imaging apparatus equipped with a cylindrical detector unit and a movement detection unit that includes acceleration sensors, which can be fastened to the patient's skin to detect movements like swallowing and respiratory movements, using microsystem acceleration elements and energy harvesting from the environment, allowing for direct and precise monitoring of patient movements without the need for cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical camera systems are used to detect patient movement, then patient movement detection capability is improved, but integration difficulty increases due to magnetic fields and radiation environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical camera systems with acceleration sensors that detect patient movement through mechanical acceleration measurements. This substitution eliminates the need for complex optical systems that cannot be integrated into magnetic resonance and radiation environments, while maintaining accurate movement detection capability through direct physical measurement of patient acceleration.
2Measurement precision
If acceleration sensors are fastened directly to the patient, then movement detection precision is improved, but patient comfort and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the movement detection system into multiple acceleration sensors positioned at different locations on the patient's body. This segmentation allows detection of specific movement types (e.g., respiratory movements at the chest, swallowing movements at the throat) with high precision while distributing the sensors across less sensitive areas, thereby maintaining patient comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies acceleration sensors selectively at specific locations on the patient's body where movement detection is most critical. By concentrating sensors only at relevant anatomical positions rather than covering the entire body, the system achieves high movement detection precision while minimizing the number of contact points and maintaining patient comfort.
3Measurement precision
If multiple acceleration sensor units are used to detect movements in different positions, then measurement coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple acceleration sensor units that can be selectively positioned on different body parts to detect various types of patient movements. Each sensor unit is designed with universal functionality to detect acceleration in multiple directions, allowing a single sensor type to serve multiple detection purposes across different anatomical locations, thereby achieving comprehensive measurement coverage without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and reliable detection of patient movements, reducing image acquisition time and improving image quality by generating trigger signals and correction factors for medical image data, thus minimizing errors in image reconstruction.
Implementation Method 1
The movement detection unit includes at least one acceleration sensor unit to detect patient movement
Implementation Method 2
The energy supply unit may also include an energy conversion unit that draws energy for operation of the acceleration sensor unit from an electromagnetic field, gamma radiation, x-ray radiation, or combinations thereof, from the medical imaging apparatus and converts the drawn energy to electrical energy
Data Source
AI summary
A medical imaging apparatus includes a detector unit, a patient-receiving region enclosed by the detector unit in a cylindrical manner, and a movement detection unit. The movement detection unit has at least one acceleration sensor unit to detect movement of a patient. the at least one acceleration sensor unit has a fastening element to fasten the at least one acceleration sensor unit to a subregion of the patient relevant to a medical imaging examination.