Stand-up MRI apparatus

US6677753B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Fonar Corporation · US

Inventors

• Gordon T. Danby · Wading River, US
• Jevan Damadian · East Northport, US
• John Linardos · Smithtown, US
• Raymond V. Damadian · Woodbury, US
• Hank Hsieh · Berkeley, US
• William H. Wahl · Smithtown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 22, 2000
• Grant date: Jan 13, 2004
• Expiry date: Nov 29, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B5/70
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A magnet for magnetic resonance imaging has a box-like ferromagnetic frame with vertical side walls, poles connected to the side walls and top and bottom walls forming flux return structures between the side walls. The frame has open front and rear sides defining patient entry openings, and has top and bottom openings in the top and bottom walls. A patient can be positioned in a vertical, horizontal or intermediate orientation within the frame. When the patient is in the vertical orientation, the patient can be raised or lowered so that parts of the patient's body protrude into the top or bottom openings, so as to align any part of the patient's body with the poles. The apparatus allows imaging of any part of the anatomy while the patient is in a standing position.