MR Sequence Optimization via Coil-Body Spacing Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic resonance (MR) sequences often result in excessive patient loading during examinations, leading to potential heating and image quality issues due to high-frequency energy absorption, particularly when the head is positioned away from the coil.
Innovation Solution
An optimized MR sequence is determined by calculating the spacing between the local coil and the body part, ensuring that the specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold is not exceeded, which involves using a combination of optical detection units and magnetic field sensors to accurately position the coil and body parts within a coordinate system, allowing for the generation of a loading model that maximizes examination performance or safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-frequency excitation pulses are radiated at high power to reduce examination time and improve image quality, then productivity and manufacturing precision are improved, but the specific absorption rate (SAR) increases causing harmful heating effects on the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the patient's body part position and calculates the spacing to the coil before the MR examination begins. Based on this pre-determined spacing, an optimized MR sequence is selected that allows higher permissible SAR values when spacing is large, enabling faster examinations without exceeding safety limits. This preliminary positioning and calculation prevents conservative sequence selection and enables optimal performance from the start.
2Reliability
If a conservative MR sequence is used to ensure patient safety when body part position is uncertain, then harmful factors are reduced, but examination time increases and image quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces conservative, one-size-fits-all MR sequences with dynamically optimized sequences selected based on real-time optical detection of body part position. The optical detection system and coordinate system transformation enable precise determination of spacing between body parts and coil, allowing the system to select or adapt MR sequences optimized for the specific geometric configuration rather than using conservative defaults for all cases.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the head is positioned away from the coil to accommodate non-standard patient orientations, then adaptability is improved, but the spacing increases causing lower signal quality and requiring longer examination times
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the spatial parameters by determining the precise spacing between the body part and coil using optical detection and coordinate system transformations. Based on this calculated spacing parameter, the system adapts the MR sequence parameters (such as flip angles, repetition times, and echo times) to optimize image quality for the specific geometric configuration, allowing non-standard positions to achieve image quality comparable to standard positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining a position of a local coil, a coil position, and a position of a body part of a patient, a body part position. Spacing between the coil position and the body part position is determined. An optimized MR sequence is determined. Based on the determined spacing between the coil position and the body part position, it is checked that in a subsequent MR examination of the patient, a predetermined loading threshold value (e.g., an SAR value) is not exceeded. The optimization of the MR sequence thus takes place under the boundary condition that the loading threshold value is not exceeded.