MR method and MR device for determining the position of microcoil

US6087831A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• U.S. Philips Corporation · US

Inventors

• Peter Bornert · Hamburg, DE
• Markus Weiger · Dietikon, CH
• Bernd Aldefeld · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 1998
• Grant date: Jul 11, 2000
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/285
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to an MR method and an MR device for determining the position of at least one microcoil (11, 12) which is provided in or on an object (1) to be examined which is situated in an examination zone. During the acquisition of microcoil MR signals (S), at least one variable magnetic gradient field acts on the examination zone, so that the k space is scanned at scanning points (k.sub.x (t.sub.i), k.sub.y (t.sub.i)). The position (x, y) of the microcoil (11, 12) is determined from at least three scanning values (S(t.sub.i)) of a microcoil MR signal and the associated scanning points (k.sub.x (T.sub.i), k.sub.y (t.sub.i)) for example by solving a system of equations formed from these values. The MR method can be used for various scanning modes of the k space, and the acquisition of the microcoil MR signals (S) does not require any MR sequences other than the MR sequences required for determining the nuclear magnetization distribution in the examination zone.