阅读说明：本技术 操作mri装置的方法 (Method of operating an MRI apparatus ) 是由 S.比伯 A.班普顿 M.威斯特 A.P.约翰斯通 A.德奥利维拉 V.莫德尔 J.尼斯 于 2019-08-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明描述了一种操作MRI装置(1)的方法,所述方法包括以下步骤：在连续成像过程期间识别中心频率(f<Sub>c1</Sub>,...,f<Sub>cn</Sub>)并记录每个中心频率(fc1,...,fcn)；分析中心频率(f<Sub>c1</Sub>,...,f<Sub>cn</Sub>)以识别MRI装置(1)的主磁场的多个衰减相关特性。本发明还描述了一种MRI装置(1)和一种用于执行方法步骤的计算机程序产品。(The invention describes a method of operating an MRI apparatus (1), the method comprising the steps of: identifying center frequency (f) during a continuous imaging procedure c1 ，...，f cn ) And recording each center frequency (fc 1.., fcn); analysis of center frequency (f) c1 ，...，f cn ) To identify a plurality of attenuation-related properties of the main magnetic field of the MRI apparatus (1). The invention also describes an MRI apparatus (1) and a computer program product for performing the method steps.)

1. A method of operating an MRI apparatus (1), the method comprising the steps of:

-identifying a center frequency (f) during an imaging procedure_c1，...，f_cn) And recording the center frequency (f) identified in the continuous imaging process_c1，...，f_cn) (ii) a And

-analyzing the center frequency (f)_c1，...，f_cn) To identify a plurality of attenuation-related properties of a main magnetic field of the MRI apparatus (1).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the centre frequency (f) is analysed_c1，...，f_cn) The step of identifying attenuation related characteristics includes averaging a plurality of center frequencies (f) measured during a patient scan over a specified time interval_c1，...，f_cn) The step (2).

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the attenuation related property comprises the rate of attenuation of the main magnetic field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the attenuation related characteristic comprises a rate of change of an attenuation rate of a main magnetic field.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising storing the identified center frequency (f)_c1，...，f_cn) The previous filtering step.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of issuing an alarm (X) if the attenuation related characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aging characteristic of the current sensor (S) is derived from current measurements (I) obtained during a ramp-up sequence₁₀) And the center frequency (f) identified after the ramp-up sequence_c) And (6) exporting.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein analyzing the center frequency (f) is performed at a remote location of the MRI apparatus (1)_c1，...，f_cn) To identify attenuation related characteristics.

9. An MRI apparatus (1) comprising:

-a center frequency identifier module (11) realized to identify a center frequency (f) during an imaging procedure_c1，...，f_cn)；

-a storage module (12) realized to record the center frequency (f) identified during the continuous imaging process_c1，...，f_cn)；

-an analysis module (13) realized by analyzing the recorded center frequency (f)_c1，...，f_cn) To identify a plurality of attenuation-related properties () of the main magnetic field.

10. MRI apparatus according to claim 9, comprising means arranged to measure the magnet current (I) during the ramping process₁₀) And further comprises a shunt monitoring module (14) realized on the basis of the uninterruptedly identified center frequency (f)_cx，f_cy) Deriving aging characteristics of the amperometric shunt (S).

11. MRI apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the field strength of the magnet (10) of the MRI apparatus (1) is at most 1.0 tesla, more preferably at most 0.7 tesla, most preferably at most 0.5 tesla.

12. MRI apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the magnet (10) is a superconducting magnet.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer program directly loadable into a memory of a control unit of an MRI apparatus (1) according to any of the claims 9 to 12 and comprising program elements for performing the steps of the method according to any of the claims 1 to 8 when the computer program is executed by the control unit.

14. A computer-readable medium, on which a program element is stored, which program element can be read and executed by a computer unit in order to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, when the program element is executed by the computer unit.

Technical Field

A method of operating an MRI apparatus is described. An MRI apparatus is also described.

Background

Developments in the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems have led to advances in low-field systems that may be preferred due to their smaller footprint. Low field systems may be open, may allow interventional procedures, and are less expensive. The term "low-field system" generally refers to a system having a magnetic field strength of at most 1.0 tesla. MRI systems with magnetic field strengths in excess of 1.0 tesla are commonly referred to as "high field systems". The magnetic field strength of low-field systems currently under development may even be below 1.0 tesla, and may even be below 0.5 tesla.

When an MRI system is first installed in the field, a ramping procedure is performed to establish a main magnetic field (also referred to as a static background field) in the main coil windings. After the initial setup ramp (ramp) procedure, the shim coils are used to make the necessary adjustments to account for the local environment. Usually, the target frequency (i.e. the center frequency of the main magnet) is determined by means of a probe placed at a suitable position in the device. To allow for the inevitable attenuation of the magnetic field due to component aging (typically on the order of hundreds of ppm per year), this target frequency typically exceeds the center frequency of the body coil by an amount sufficient to ensure that the center frequency of the main magnetic field remains above the center frequency of the body coil for as long as possible.

In any superconducting MRI system, decay of the magnetic field is inevitable due to the residual resistance of the magnet. Field decay means that the center frequency of the main magnetic field gradually deviates from the initial setting. Eventually, a re-ramp (re-ramp) system is necessary. In high-field systems, the bandwidth of the body coil and the radio frequency system is so large (e.g., body coil bandwidth of ± 100kHz or more) that it may take several years before the field decays beyond specification. Often, another maintenance procedure, such as a cold head (cold head) exchange, must be scheduled more quickly. In order to perform such a maintenance procedure, the magnet must in any case be tilted downwards and upwards, so that there is an opportunity to recalibrate the system.

A target frequency of the main magnetic field is identified prior to ramping the magnet. Usually a target frequency is set as high as possible and fine tuning of the main magnetic field is performed using shim coils. By setting the target frequency as high as possible, the attenuation window (the time it takes for the frequency to drift to the lower end of the allowed band) is as long as possible. This scheme is suitable for systems with high bandwidth, as described above. However, the bandwidth of low-field systems is significantly narrower than that of high-field systems (only on the order of 10kHz-25 kHz), so that prior art methods of setting the magnet target frequency are limited to a much shorter "attenuation window". Due to the narrow attenuation window, the magnet frequency of low-field MRI systems decays to an out-of-specification level in a shorter time. This means that low-field MRI systems typically have to be ramped more frequently.

The first superconducting low-field MRI system is typically implemented as a vertical field system, characterized by relatively inefficient body coils. These early low-field vertical systems were known to be less reliable than comparable horizontal-field systems (with birdcage body coils), making maintenance checks must be scheduled relatively frequently. During these maintenance procedures, the frequency of the main magnetic field is checked and the system is ramped back up if necessary. In low field systems, it may be desirable to perform intermittent ramping procedures, such as in the case of infrastructure problems (e.g., outages) or cooling device problems, etc.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of monitoring the attenuation of the main magnetic field of an MRI apparatus.

This object is achieved by a method of operating an MRI apparatus according to claim 1 and by an MRI apparatus according to claim 9.

According to the present invention, a method of operating an MRI apparatus comprises the steps of: identifying center frequencies and recording each center frequency during a continuous imaging procedure (i.e., during a patient scan); and analyzing the center frequency to identify attenuation related characteristics of the main magnetic field (commonly referred to as the B0 field).

An advantage of the present invention is that the main magnetic field can be monitored during normal operation of the MRI apparatus without the need for any special measuring means or additional components. The invention is based on the following recognition: the frequency of the signal detected at the receiver coil is related to the main magnetic field by the gyromagnetic ratio, and the signal detected by the receiver coil can be used to infer information about the temporal development of the magnetic field during successive scans. The field monitoring of the proposed method is advantageous in particular in low-field systems, where magnetic field decay has to be remedied more frequently than in high-field systems. Little additional effort is required to implement the method of the invention and substantially all steps can be performed by suitable algorithms that process the signals observed in any case during normal operation of the MRI apparatus.

An advantage of the invention is that the attenuation-related properties of the main magnetic field are derived entirely from measurements collected during a patient scan, i.e. measurements made in any case are used. No special test measurements need to be made. For example, measurements may be collected while adjusting the frequency of the receiving system at the beginning of a patient scan. Alternatively or additionally, measurements may be collected at points during the actual imaging sequence. In either case, the signal determining the center frequency originates from the patient.

According to the invention, the MRI apparatus comprises a center frequency identifier module, which is realized to identify a center frequency during an imaging procedure; a storage module implemented to record center frequencies identified during a continuous imaging process; and an analysis module implemented to identify a plurality of attenuation related characteristics of the main magnetic field by analyzing the recorded center frequency.

The units or modules of the MRI apparatus described above, in particular the frequency determination unit and the selection unit, may advantageously be implemented fully or partially as software modules running on a processor of a control unit of the MRI apparatus. Implementation mainly in the form of software modules may have the following advantages: applications already installed on existing MRI systems may be updated with relatively little effort to perform the method steps of the present application. The object of the invention is also achieved by a computer program product with a computer program which is directly loadable into a memory of a control unit of an MRI apparatus and comprises program elements to perform the steps of the method of the invention when the program is executed by the control unit. In addition to computer programs, such computer program products may include other parts such as documents and/or additional components, as well as hardware components such as hardware keys (dongles, etc.) to facilitate access to the software.

A computer readable medium, such as a memory stick, hard disk or other transportable or permanently installed carrier, may be used for transporting and/or storing executable parts of a computer program product such that these can be read from a processor unit of an MRI apparatus. The processor unit may include one or more microprocessors or equivalents thereof.

As disclosed in the following description, the dependent claims present particularly advantageous embodiments and features of the invention. Features from different claim categories may be combined as appropriate to give other embodiments not described herein.

The method of the present invention may be applied to any suitable MRI apparatus, for example an MRI apparatus having a superconducting magnet, a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. However, low-field MRI apparatus with superconducting magnets benefit to a greater extent from the method of the present invention. Thus, in the following, but without limiting the invention in any way, it may be assumed that the magnet of the MRI apparatus is a superconducting magnet.

It may also be assumed that the MRI apparatus is a low-field MRI apparatus. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the field strength of the magnet is at most 1.0T, more preferably at most 0.3T. As mentioned above, the RF bandwidth of a medium or high field MRI device is typically very large, but the bandwidth of a low field device is significantly narrower and may be as small as 10kHz, for example. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the MRI apparatus has a body coil with an RF bandwidth of no more than 50 kHz.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the center frequency is determined during the imaging procedure from the signals received by the body coil or the local coil. These signals are essentially signals originating from the patient during the clinical imaging sequence.

As mentioned above, the main magnetic field will inevitably decay over time. Although the system can be manufactured with high precision and even if the magnet properties can be quantified very accurately, it is not possible to accurately predict how the magnetic field will behave in months or even years. However, it is desirable to notify the customer (e.g., a radiology department of a clinic) of the status of the magnet at any time so that routine maintenance events can be scheduled in a timely manner and so that downtime can be avoided.

In the method of the invention, the recorded center frequencies may be stored in a memory module and/or may be forwarded to a remote service database for remote monitoring of the system. An alert or notification may be issued to the customer or user when the frequency approaches or exceeds the limits of a predetermined tolerance window.

The recorded center frequency, together with the maximum bandwidth and attenuation related characteristics, allows for determining whether the center frequency is still within a predetermined window and/or predicting when the center frequency will exit the predetermined window. The user or customer service may be alerted in a timely manner, such as months or weeks before the predicted time.

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the decay related characteristic comprises the decay rate of the main magnetic field. The customer (or an online supervisory system servicing the IT infrastructure) can compare this information to the magnet specification to see if the decay rate meets the specification (i.e., if the magnetic field decays as predicted by the manufacturer) or if the decay rate deviates from the predicted rate. In particular in the case of high decay rates, it is advantageous to be aware of this so that corrective measures can be planned accordingly. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the attenuation related property may be the attenuation level of the main magnetic field, e.g. the instantaneous percentage of the nominal field strength. The decay rate is in fact the decay rate of the magnetic field, i.e. the first derivative (dB/dt). Another attenuation characteristic that may be of interest is the rate of change of the rate of decay, i.e., the second derivative (d)²B/dt²)。

As described above, the center frequency is obtained when a patient scan is performed. Sometimes it may happen that the patient scan is not performed completely correctly, e.g. when a metal object is within a homogenous volume, when the door of the radio frequency capsule is inadvertently left open, etc., so that the measured center frequency is not actually representative. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the step of filtering the identified center frequency before storing the center frequency. For example, a condition may be that the identified center frequency may not differ from the previous center frequency by more than ± 50 ppm. The filter is actually a plausibility check that ensures that outliers are not included in the center frequency record.

After the identified center frequency is checked for plausibility, it is recorded in memory. Representative center frequency values may be obtained by averaging the (filtered) center frequencies measured during all patient scans during a specified time period (e.g., during a day). The analysis unit may process a representative set of center frequencies to detect any attenuation of the main magnetic field. Preferably, the analysis unit processes at least two representative center frequencies, more preferably at least ten representative center frequencies, to derive the attenuation characteristics of the main magnetic field. For example, by averaging the center frequencies measured during all patient scans performed that day, a representative center frequency value may be obtained each day, and the attenuation related characteristic may be calculated at weekends. Similarly, a representative center frequency value may be obtained from all patient scans taken during the week, and the attenuation-related characteristic may be calculated at the end of the month.

If the attenuation related characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold, e.g. the magnet centre frequency has dropped below a certain level, or the attenuation rate has increased beyond a certain acceptable rate, the operator of the MRI apparatus is preferably notified. Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the step of issuing an alarm when the attenuation related property exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The method of the invention can be used to advantageously observe the change in magnetic field strength over time and to plan any corrective measures, such as a partial ramp or an automatic ramp. For example, analysis of the center frequency may indicate that the center frequency of the magnetic field has decayed to a level that may be remedied by performing a partial ramping procedure that may be performed at night (when the MRI apparatus is not in use). Partial or "top-up" ramping may take only a relatively short period of time compared to a full ramping procedure, which requires the magnet to be fully ramped down and then ramped up again to reach the required magnetic field strength.

During ramping, current is fed to the magnet until the magnet current or corresponding frequency has reached a predetermined target current or frequency. The target frequency may be determined in any suitable manner, for example by arranging the probe inside the body coil and monitoring the magnet current using a current sensor of the magnet power supply. The MRI apparatus may include a probe placement device for automatically placing the probe inside the body coil.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the MRI apparatus comprises an amperometric shunt arranged to measure the magnet current when ramping so that the magnet frequency can be estimated. When it has been observed that the magnet frequency reaches the predetermined target frequency, it can be assumed that the magnetic field is satisfactory and the ramping procedure can be ended. Ampere counting current transformers are an economical but low precision component that tend to become less accurate with age. Therefore, in another preferred embodiment of the invention, the MRI apparatus comprises a shunt monitoring module implemented to derive an aging characteristic of the current sensor based on the patient scan center frequency. The current measurement may be recorded at the end of the ramping sequence, for example, when the magnet frequency has reached the target frequency. Calibration coefficients for the current sensor may be derived from the relationship between the shunt current measurements and the subsequent center frequency. The calibration factor may be expressed as a simple ratio, e.g., shunt current divided by center frequency.

Preferably, the shunt current measurement and the patient scan center frequency measurement are close in time. Since the shunt current measurement can only be made during the ramp-up procedure, the center frequency measurement is preferably made during the patient scan after ramp-up.

For example, the calibration coefficients may be used to correct the current sensor readings during a subsequent ramp-up sequence, and may significantly improve the accuracy of the ramp-up sequence, thereby extending the magnetic field decay window. It can also be used to correct for long term aging effects of the shunt. The calibration coefficients may be used by an algorithm that derives the magnet frequency from the current sensor measurements. In this way, the MRI apparatus may recalibrate the function in a direct manner and prior to the next scheduled ramp-up procedure.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, any step of analyzing and evaluating the recorded center frequency is performed remotely, for example on an external server. The remote customer support service may analyze the collected information and schedule ramp-up events for the MRI device so that the customer need not be concerned with these tasks.

Drawings

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptions considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a superconducting low-field MRI apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a magnetic field decay pattern obtained using an embodiment of the method of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a first graph of patient scan center frequency obtained using an embodiment of the method of the present invention.

In the drawings, like numerals refer to like elements throughout. The objects in the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

Detailed Description

The MRI system comprises various modules and units, most of which will be known to the skilled person and need not be explained here. The apparatus comprises a main magnet generating a very homogeneous main magnetic field B0. Fig. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an MRI apparatus 1, indicating a main magnet 10, a body coil BC and a receiver coil RC (e.g. a flat receive-only spine coil in this example). It may be assumed that there is a usual arrangement of additional coils such as shim coils, local coils, pick-up coils and multiple gradient coils. During a patient scan, the body coil BC is excited to transmit RF signals, and the receiver coil RC detects the reflected RF signals 100. This signal 100 is processed by a module 11 which performs appropriate signal processing steps to identify the center frequency f of the received signal 100_c. To exclude any outliers, a filter is applied in block 110, which may filter the current center frequency f_cCompared to the previous center frequency. Current center frequency f_cIs batched only if, for example, it differs by no more than + -50 ppm from its predecessorThe method is accurate. If approved, the current center frequency f_cStored in the memory module 12. These steps are repeated for successive patient scans so that the final set of center frequencies is accumulated in the memory module 12.

The frequency of the received RC signal is related to the magnetic field strength by the following relationship

Where γ is the gyromagnetic ratio. The analysis module processes a plurality of successively collected center frequencies f_c1，...，f_c1To identify trends. For example, a gradual shift in frequency indicates a gradual decay of the main magnetic field. The analysis module may compare the identified decay trend to an expected decay trend known from magnet specifications, for example, stored in the memory module 130. The decision module 14 may determine whether an action needs to be taken based on the information provided by the analysis unit 13. For example, if the rate of field decay is observed to be faster than an expected or specified decay rate, the decision module may issue an alarm X.

A ramp control module 16 is provided to initiate a ramp procedure at an appropriate time in order to ramp the main magnet 10 to the target frequency f_T. Fig. 2 shows a greatly simplified circuit diagram of such a superconducting low-field MRI apparatus 1. The MPSU 10P is used to supply a current I to the magnet 10 during the ramp-up procedure when the magnet 10 is ramped to a previously determined target frequency₁₀. A switch assembly 17 comprising a superconducting switch in parallel with a shunt resistor is shown connected to the main magnet coils 10. The switch is closed during the ramp-up procedure so that a small amount of current passes through the shunt resistor. In this exemplary embodiment, an amperometric shunt S is used to measure the magnet current I during ramping₁₀So that the power supply controller 15 can estimate the magnet frequency and compare it with the target frequency f_TMaking a comparison so that when the target frequency f has been obtained_TThe ramp-up procedure may be aborted. At this time, the switch 17 is opened again.

Returning to fig. 2, the current measurement may be recorded at the end of the ramp-up sequence, for example, when the magnet frequency has reached the target frequency. Calibration coefficients for the current sensor may be derived from the relationship between the current measurement and the subsequent center frequency. For example, the calibration coefficient C may be expressed as a simple ratio of the shunt current to the center frequency.

The shunt current measurement and the patient scan center frequency measurement are preferably close in time. Since the shunt current measurement can only be made during the ramp-up procedure, the center frequency measurement is preferably made during the patient scan after ramp-up.

The calibration coefficient C may be used in a subsequent ramping procedure to correct for aging effects of the shunt S. For example, the calibration coefficient C may be forwarded to the controller 15 of the MPSU 10P so that subsequent current readings may be corrected and the ramp-up procedure may be performed with greater accuracy.

The above units and modules may be implemented as part of a central control system of the MRI apparatus 1.

Fig. 3 is a graph of magnetic field decay showing magnetic field strength (tesla) versus time (on a timescale of months or even years). The figure shows an expected attenuation curve 30, as well as an inferred attenuation curve 30' established by analyzing the center frequencies of a series of patient scans. In this exemplary case, the decay curve 31 shows a faster decay rate than the expected decay curve 30 and may result in a decision to execute a re-ramping event faster than originally planned.

Fig. 4 indicates how the set of patient scan center frequencies is used to establish the magnetic field attenuation characteristics. Here, the center frequency f of the identification_c1，...，f_cnIndicated by dots. The graph shows frequency (in MHz) on the X-axis versus scan count along the Y-axis. The figure shows the center frequency f of the detected RC signal_c1，...，f_cnIs gradually reduced. Using suitable interpolation or best fit techniques, the frequency can be converted to an attenuation curve 31 of the main magnetic field, as shown in fig. 3.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of "a" or "an" in this application does not exclude a plurality, and "comprising" does not exclude other steps or elements. Reference to "a unit" or "a module" does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.