MRI Safety Structure with Independent Protect Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance apparatuses pose hazards to patients due to strong gradient fields and radiofrequency signals, which can stimulate tissues and overheating, and implants can locally magnify these fields, necessitating effective safety monitoring to restrict slew rates and output.
Innovation Solution
A safety structure with two independent protect paths that monitor safety-related parameters, allowing for the identification of hazardous situations independently, and transfer the system into a safe state, reducing the complexity and integrity requirements of the control path, thereby lowering overall development and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a control path is used to control the safety-related function, then the safety function can be controlled, but the complexity and integrity requirements of the control path increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety monitoring system is segmented into two independent protect paths (first protect path and second protect path) that operate separately from the control path. Each protect path independently monitors safety parameters and can identify hazardous situations without relying on the control path, thereby reducing the complexity and integrity requirements of the control path while maintaining high safety monitoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protect paths serve as intermediary monitoring structures that independently assess safety parameters and hazardous situations. These protect paths act as mediators between the control path and the safety-related function, providing independent verification without increasing the complexity of the control path itself.
2Power
If the performance capability of the magnetic resonance apparatus is increased with regard to gradient strength and radiofrequency output, then the imaging quality improves, but hazards are produced for the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The protect paths are configured to acquire safety-related parameters and identify hazardous situations before they can cause harm to the patient. By continuously monitoring parameters such as gradient strength and radiofrequency output independently of the control path, the system can detect potentially harmful conditions in advance and prevent them from affecting the patient, thus allowing high performance operation without compromising safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The independent protect paths provide continuous feedback on safety-related parameters, enabling the system to monitor and control the gradient strength and radiofrequency output to prevent harmful effects on the patient while maintaining high imaging performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A magnetic resonance apparatus with a safety structure for monitoring a safety-related function is provided. The safety structure includes a control path that is configured to control the safety-related function, and a first protect path and a second protect path. The first protect path and the second protect path are configured to acquire a safety-related parameter of the safety-related function. The first protect path is configured to identify a hazardous situation, independently of the control path and the second protect path, based on the safety-related parameter that the first protect path acquires. The second protect path is configured to identify a hazardous situation, independently of the control path and the first protect path, based on the safety-related parameter that the second protect path acquires. The first protect path and the second protect path are each configured to transfer the magnetic resonance apparatus into a safe state in a hazardous situation.