PatentsALERT XV

reflecting direction of anisotropic water motion in space. Water motion in neuronal fibers, especially those in axons, possesses high intravoxel anisotropy compared to other elements of the nervous system. Therefore, the method is especially sensitive for discerning axonal direction and density.

A lightweight passive magnetic shielding system for a mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) superconducting magnet is provided to enable transportation of the MRI while at superconducting operation within the regulations limiting the strength of the stray magnetic field of the MRI magnet and the weight of the vehicle including the MRI system.

5488299 5488342

NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING WITH IMPROVED IMAGE

QUALITY AND OPERATION EFFICIENCY

Kondo Masafum; Kawamoto Hiromi Tochigi, JAPAN Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

A nuclear magnetic resonance imaging with improved image quality and operation efficiency. It uses an active shield coil with an outer shielding coil having at least two coil turns which are provided on a plurality of separate layers and mutually connected electrically, in order to reduce the heat generation. The eddy current in the shielding coil is reduced by providing a slit portion thereon. The eddy current compensation is achieved by using an appropriate eddy current compensation pulse to minimize a residual eddy current magnetic field within a desired field of view according to a model of a general expression of the residual eddy current magnetic field after the eddy current compensation. The optimum setting of the system parameters for various imaging pulse sequences is achieved for the undetermined gradient coil configuration as well as for the predetermined gradient coil configuration, according to a mathematical model analysis of various imaging pulse sequences.

5488339

PASSIVE SHIELDING OF MOBILE MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

MAGNET

Havens Timothy; Tan Yulan; Scaturro John Florence, SC, UNITED STATES Assigned to General Electric Company

MAGNET ASSEMBLY FOR NMR

Hanley Peter Forest of Dean, UNITED KINGDOM Assigned to Oxford Instruments Limited

PCT No. PCT/GB94/00226 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 12, 1994 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 12, 1994 PCT Filed Feb. 7, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO94/18577 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 18, 1994. A magnet assembly comprises a pair of substantially aligned, spaced apart first magnets having like poles facing each other. A second magnet is positioned adjacent the space between the first magnets with its magnetic axis transverse to the alignment axis of the first magnets. A magnetic field of sufficient homogeneity to perform a nuclear magnetic resonance process is generated in a working region.

5490508

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS HAVING

MAT FOR USE WITH SMALL BODY

Kato Yutaka Tochigiken, JAPAN Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

A magnetic resonance diagnosis apparatus having a diagnosis mat by which the position of the surface coil is accurately confirmed. The magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis apparatus includes a gantry for enclosing a biological body so as to provide an imaging area; a mat portion having a slot therein in a lateral side thereof wherein the mat portion is provided above a tabletop that is movable into and out of the gantry; and surface coil for applying electromagnetic waves to the biological body, and which is slidably inserted to the slot of the mat portion so that a position of the coil means is accurately indexed and observed.