Single-Use MRT Local Coil Invalidation for Hygiene Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MRT systems face hygiene challenges due to the need for disinfection of reusable local coils, particularly in applications like dental imaging, where single-use disposable coils are preferable to prevent pathogen transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for invalidating local coils after a single use by changing mechanical or electrical properties, such as destroying components or altering identification data, to ensure they cannot be reused.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If reusable local coils are used to reduce cost, then device cost is reduced, but hygiene requirements cannot be met due to pathogen transmission risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single-use local coil system where the coil is designed to be used only once and then invalidated. The coil includes a non-reusable design with intentional destruction mechanisms (mechanical destruction of the conductor or electrical shorting) that prevent any subsequent use, ensuring hygiene requirements are met while maintaining cost-effectiveness through disposable rather than reusable design.
2Reliability
If single-use coils are implemented to meet hygiene standards, then hygiene compliance is improved, but device complexity increases due to invalidation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the invalidation function from complex active control systems and implements it through simple passive mechanisms. The coil includes pre-integrated destruction elements (such as mechanical weak points in the conductor or simple shorting contacts) that are activated by basic physical actions like unplugging or applying minimal force, rather than requiring complex electronic control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil automatically invalidates itself through simple trigger mechanisms without requiring external control systems. For example, the coil conductor is designed with a mechanical weak point that breaks when the coil is removed from its holder, or electrical contacts that automatically short when the coil is unplugged, making the invalidation process self-executing and minimizing system complexity.
3Reliability
If mechanical or electrical destruction is applied to invalidate the coil, then reuse prevention is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates destruction mechanisms that are pre-built into the coil structure during manufacturing. Elements such as mechanical weak points in the conductor, pre-positioned breakable supports, or electrical shorting contacts are integrated in advance, so that the actual destruction action requires minimal precision and can be triggered by simple operations like unplugging or applying light pressure.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes techniques for invalidating a local coil for a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) system. The techniques include carrying out a measurement with the local coil on the MRT system, changing a mechanical and/or an electrical property of the local coil and/or an item of information about the local coil in the MRT system to the extent that a number of measurements possible with this local coil is reduced and, in the case where only the measurement carried out was possible with the local coil, a further measurement is no longer possible with this local coil on the MRT system. The disclosure also relates to a local coil and to an MRT system.