According to some aspects, a magnetic resonance imaging system capable of imaging a patient is provided. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprising at least one B0 magnet to produce a magnetic field to contribute to a B0 magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system and a member configured to engage with a releasable securing mechanism of a radio frequency coil apparatus, the member attached to the magnetic resonance imaging system at a location so that, when the member is engaged with the releasable securing mechanism of the radio frequency coil apparatus, the radio frequency coil apparatus is secured to the magnetic resonance imaging system substantially within an imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system.

This disclosure relates to medical fluid sensors and related systems and methods. In certain aspects, a nuclear magnetic resonance device includes a support frame, a first magnet connected to the support frame, a second magnet connected to the support frame in a manner such that the second magnet is disposed within the magnetic field of the first magnet and a magnetic attraction exists between the first magnet and the second magnet, and a spacer disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet. The spacer is configured to maintain a space between the first magnet and the second magnet.

The disclosure of the present invention provides for an imaging apparatus and methods for imaging the cranio-cervical junction of a patient using magnetic resonance. The apparatus is adapted to slide over the patient's head, and includes a saddle element and a solenoid element. The saddle element has a length that extends along a superior-inferior axis of the patient, and a circumference along an axial plane of the patient when the apparatus is slid over the patient's head, so as to define a substantially cylindrical volume. The solenoid element attaches to the saddle element at about a midpoint of the saddle element's length, so as to be positioned along an axial plane of the patient when the apparatus is slid over the patient's head. This configuration allows for the cranio-cervical junction of the patient to be positioned in the cylindrical volume when the apparatus is slid over the patient's head.

According to some aspects, a laminate panel is provided. The laminate panel comprises at least one laminate layer including at least one non-conductive layer and at least one conductive layer patterned to form at least a portion of a B.sub.0 coil configured to contribute to a B.sub.0 field suitable for use in low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The present invention relates to a method of correcting inhomogeneity of the static magnetic field generated by the magnet of a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging machine, wherein the magnet is flat and the magnetic field on one side of said magnet is corrected such that a volume is defined, which is bounded by a spherical cap surface, in which volume and along which surface the magnetic field is homogeneous, i.e. has field lines having equal parallel directions and equal intensities.

An apparatus for controlling at least one gradient coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The apparatus may include at least one computer hardware processor; and at least one computer-readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer hardware processor, cause the at least one computer hardware processor to perform a method. The method may include receiving information specifying at least one target pulse sequence; determining a corrected pulse sequence to control the at least one gradient coil based on the at least one target pulse sequence and a hysteresis model of induced magnetization in the MRI system caused by operation of the at least one gradient coil; and controlling, using the corrected gradient pulse sequence, the at least one gradient coil to generate one or more gradient pulses for imaging a patient.

In one embodiment, an MRI apparatus includes: a current-driven magnet configured to generate a magnetic field that predominantly determine a magnetic resonance frequency; a detector configured to detect a position of an object to be imaged in a movable state in the magnetic field; and control circuitry configured to set an imaging region of the object depending on a motion of the object by controlling a drive current of the current-driven magnet based on the detected position of the object.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a resistive, solenoidal electromagnet for whole-body MRI may include ferromagnetic material within an envelope of the electromagnet. The system can be configured to have a field strength of at least 0.05 Tesla and its main electromagnetic field can be generated by layers of conductors instead of bundles. Certain electromagnet designs may be fabricated using non-metallic formers, such as fiberglass, and can be constructed to form a rigid object with the layers of conductors by fixing all together with an epoxy. The electromagnet may be configured to have two separated halves, which may be held apart by a fixation structure such as carbon fiber. The power supply for certain electromagnets herein may have current fluctuations, at frequencies of 180 Hz or above, of at least one part per ten thousand without requiring an additional current filter.

In a method for compensating stray magnetic fields in a magnetic resonance imaging system with two or more examination areas: a value for a predefined first magnetic field to be applied in a first examination area, in addition to a basic magnetic field is provided; information defining a predefined sequence control pulse to be applied in a second examination area is provided; a stray magnetic field in the second examination area resulting from application of the first magnetic field in the first examination area is determined; a compensated sequence control pulse for the second examination area is calculated from the predefined sequence control pulse and the determined stray magnetic field; and the compensated sequence control pulse is applied to the second examination area.

A handbrake of a medical imaging apparatus that has a movable patient table with a top face on which a patient lies, fastens and releases the patient table when actuated. The handbrake with a mounting face and a first face has a main body and has a brake actuation button, operable in an actuation direction. The mounting face is attachable to the patient table. The front face is directly opposite to at least some parts of the mounting face in the actuation direction. The brake actuation button is disposed on the front face of the main body, and is actuated by pushing the brake actuation button in the actuation direction, in order to fasten or to release the brake of the patient table. The actuation direction is essentially perpendicular to the top face of the patient table.