Solid state NMR probe
US4672972A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 1986 |
| Grant date | Jun 16, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/285
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An in vivo NMR probe is disposed at the distal end of a catheter or endoscope for obtaining NMR spectra from within a patient. The probe is constructed from a passive integrated circuit including a receiving coil and a parametric up-converter for increasing the receivied frequency of the NMR emissions. One or more coaxial cables disposed in a lumen of the catheter connect the integrated circuit probe to an external NMR processor. The external processor may also excite the coil to radiate a localized perturbation field prior to obtaining NMR emission data of an area of interest. Alternatively, the probe may be constructed from an active circuit which enables the coil to be tuned to an NMR emission frequency of interest. A closed loop refrigeration circuit utilizing lumens in the catheter or Peltier junction devices on the integrated circuit provide for temperature stability of the active devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.