Patent · US Expired

Magnetic resonance imaging magnet having minimally symmetric ferromagnetic shield

US4931759A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
11References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 6, 1989
Grant dateJun 5, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 6, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/3873
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging magnet has a solenoidal superconducting winding producing a magnetic field and defining an examination region within a bore thereof. The examination region receives a body to be examined. The solenoidal superconducting winding generates a quasi-static magnetic field for aligning atomic nuclei in the body being examined. A two-fold or minimally symmetric ferromagnetic shield has a pair of magnetic flux return paths positioned on opposite sides of the solenoidal superconducting winding for reducing the magnetic field intensity in a region proximate to and outside of the solenoidal superconducting winding. A magnetic field inhomogeneity compensating system reduces magnetic field inhomogeneities introduced into the magnetic field within the examination region by the minimally symmetric ferromagnetic shield to provide a highly uniform quasi-static magnetic field within the examination region.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.