Magnetic resonance imaging method including coordinated rotation of patient table and magnetic structure

摘要

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnet having a two poles and a wall connecting the poles; the poles delimiting a patient-imaging space; and a table which is slidably connected to one of the two poles between the two poles and which table extends substantially parallel to the two poles; a drive for displacing the table relative to the magnet; a lock for locking the table in a selected position relative to the magnet; a drive for rotating the magnet about the axis; the table connected to the magnet such that the table rotates with the magnet when the magnet rotates about the axis; the magnet and the table being rotatable from a position in which the poles and the table are horizontal to a position in which the table and the poles are vertical.

主权项

1. A method for magnetic resonance imaging with a magnetic structure having two opposite poles spaced apart one from the other and oriented substantially perpendicular to a vertical plane and defining a patient imaging space; and a table for a patient secured to one of the two poles in a slidable way in a longitudinal direction of the table relative to the magnetic structure and between the two poles of the magnetic structure, the table being oriented parallel to the poles, the table having a footrest at one end thereof, the magnetic structure and the table being rotatable together around an axis which is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the table and parallel to the table, the method comprising:
rotating the magnetic structure with the table to a patient positioning position in which the table is substantially horizontal; sliding the table to an end position, in which a part of the table is outside the magnetic structure; arranging the patient on the table in a lying down position; sliding the table along its longitudinal axis relative to the magnetic structure until the magnetic structure is correctly centered with a part of the patient's body to be examined; locking the table relative to the magnetic structure and rotating the magnetic structure together with the table in a position in which the table is not horizontal; carrying out an imaging procedure; rotating the magnetic structure together with the table to a position in which the table is substantially horizontal; and sliding the table to a position in which a part of the table is not between the two opposite poles and letting the patient step down from the table.