Safety tests for systems monitoring local SAR

US9625541B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Jörg Ulrich Fontius · Fairview Avenue, DE
• Holger Adolf · Zirndorf, DE
• Thomas Benner · Erlangen, DE
• Hans-Peter Fautz · Forchheim, DE
• Matthias Gebhardt · Erlangen, DE
• Rene Gumbrecht · Herzogenaurach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 1, 2013
• Grant date: Apr 18, 2017
• Expiry date: Aug 8, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/36
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In order to provide online monitoring of local specific absorption rate (SAR) within a body subject to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, directional couplers measure a phase and an amplitude of a transmission radio frequency (RF) pulse generated and transmitted by an MRI system. A measured local SAR value is calculated based on the measured phase and the measured amplitude of the transmission RF pulse using a voxel model of the body and an electromagnetic (EM) simulation. In order to verify proper operation of the local SAR monitoring, the measured local SAR value is compared to a predetermined local SAR value.