Patent · US Expired

Hand operated device for controlling characteristics of an MRI image, and the like

US7408348B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
29References
62Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 19, 2002
Grant dateAug 5, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/546
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A hand operated device for controlling characteristics of a magnetic resonance (“MR”) image is disclosed. One characteristic that the hand operated device is particularly suited to control is the oblique angle the MR image slice. In one embodiment, the device comprises a planar member, such a plate, rotatably coupled to a supporting member. The supporting member may be a longitudinal member supported by a base. Rotation of the plate is detected by detectors coupled to an MRI system. The oblique angle of an MRI image is changed based on the rotation of the plate, as detected by the detectors. The supporting member may be telescoping and the depression and retraction of to the plate towards and away from the base may be used to vary the depth of the image slice. The telescoping feature can also be used vary other image characteristics, such as slice thickness, field of view and resolution, for example, in addition to or instead of slice depth. Buttons may also be provided on the plate to select a coronal, saggital or axial alignment of the slice image. Methods of conducting MRI scans, and MRI systems including the hand operated device are also disclosed. The device, methods and syste…

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