Interior alignment light for open magnet MRI

摘要

A patient alignment device is disclosed for use in open magnet MR1 (10) having a moveable patient table (12) to move a patient (32) within the open magnet MR1 (10) in order to position a desired patient scan area (34) accurately within the field-of-view (40) (FOV) of the open magnet MR1 (10). A first alignment light (26) is placed on the outer periphery of the upper magnetic structure (22) of the open MR1 (10) to emit a light beam in longitudinal alignment with a center point of the FOV. A second alignment light (28) is positioned to emit a second light beam downwardly from the upper magnetic structure (22) to indicate an interior reference point of the FOV. The second alignment light (28) is then used to reposition a patient (32) within the open magnet MR1 (10) without having to withdraw the patient (32) from the open magnet MR1 (10). <IMAGE>