MRI RF Coil Port Compatibility GUI for Misconnection Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, operators often accidentally connect RF coils to incompatible ports, leading to delays and poor image quality due to the identical physical appearance of ports and connectors, which are not easily identifiable until scanning begins.
Innovation Solution
The MRI system automatically monitors RF coil-port connections and displays a graphical user interface (GUI) indicating compatibility status, providing visual depictions and additional information to guide correct connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ports and connectors are designed with identical physical appearance, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to easily identify compatible connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coding to RF coil connectors and ports to indicate compatibility. Connectors and ports are assigned specific colors (e.g., blue, green, yellow, red) that match between compatible pairs, allowing operators to quickly identify correct connections without increasing fundamental device complexity or manufacturing difficulty significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetric visual identification through color-coded connectors and ports. While the physical structure remains standardized, the color assignment creates asymmetric visual cues that enable operators to distinguish compatible connections, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex mechanical differentiation.
2Ease of operation
If visual indicators for connection status are added to the interface, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional software and hardware components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a graphical user interface that provides real-time feedback on RF coil connections. The GUI displays visual indicators showing whether each port has a connected coil and whether the connection is compatible or incompatible. This feedback mechanism guides operators to correct any misconnections before scanning begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a software-based intermediary layer (the GUI system) that mediates between the physical connection state and the operator. This intermediary translates physical connection status into visual information, improving ease of operation while keeping the core MRI system architecture unchanged.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for a graphical user interface (GUI) for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. In an example, a system includes a display device (420); one or more processors (404); and memory (406) storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to: determine (906) a connection status for each of a plurality of ports (27), each port of the plurality of ports configured to couple a radiofrequency (RF) coil (14) to an MRI apparatus (10); generate a GUI (501) that includes a port status indicator (520, 522, 524, 526) for each port, each port status indicator having a visual appearance that is based on that port's connection status; and output (906) the GUI for display on the display device.