MRI Planning Environment for Safe Parameter Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems lack an efficient method to ensure patient safety by preventing excessive loading parameters during imaging, which can lead to tissue heating or implant malfunction, and often require manual adjustments that may result in sub-optimal image quality due to user errors.
Innovation Solution
A method that selects a magnetic resonance sequence, acquires adjustment parameters specific to the subject, and determines a parameter range for imaging parameters based on a specified loading parameter limit, providing a planning environment that restricts user input to safe values, thereby preventing excessive loading and ensuring high image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of imaging parameters is allowed, then user flexibility is improved, but patient safety is worsened due to risk of excessive loading parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts imaging parameters based on the determined parameter range to ensure safety limits are not exceeded. The control computer modifies parameters such as flip angle, repetition time, and RF pulse power to maintain loading parameters within safe limits while preserving image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation by automatically determining safe parameter ranges and restricting user input to these ranges. The planning environment autonomously prevents unsafe configurations without requiring manual safety checks by the user.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic parameter restriction is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but user flexibility is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the safe parameter range before the user performs imaging. By pre-calculating the parameter range based on subject-specific adjustment parameters and safety limits, the system prepares safe configuration options in advance, allowing users to operate within predefined safe boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The planning environment acts as an intermediary between the user and the imaging system. It mediates user input by translating desired imaging parameters into safe, validated parameters that comply with loading limits, thus protecting users from direct exposure to unsafe parameter configurations.
3Productivity
If adjustment measurement is performed before sequence selection, then workflow efficiency is improved, but waiting time is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment measurement is performed in advance during the localizer measurement phase, before the diagnostic sequence is selected. This preliminary action ensures that subject-specific parameters are available early in the workflow, enabling subsequent automated parameter optimization without delaying the actual imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous workflow by performing the adjustment measurement during the localizer phase without interrupting the diagnostic imaging sequence. The measurement and sequence selection processes are overlapped in time, ensuring that no additional waiting time is introduced into the diagnostic imaging workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a method for the operation thereof, a diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging sequence is selected in a control computer of the apparatus, and an adjustment parameter for the selected sequence is acquired in the control computer, which is specific to the subject under examination. A limit value for a loading parameter of the subject is specified in the computer, and a parameter range for an imaging parameter of the sequence is determined in the computer on the basis of the acquired adjustment parameter and the specified limit value for the loading parameter. A planning environment for the magnetic resonance imaging of the subject is presented, in which only the determined parameter range can be set for the imaging parameter.