Motor for a MR Elastography Transducer

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a motor for a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography room, to a patient table for the MR room, to a MR elastography device, and to a MR tomography device. A MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, and includes a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, and a support structure. The rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, and a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means. The rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

Claims

1. A motor for a magnetic resonance tomography room, wherein a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, comprising: a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol; and a support structure, wherein the rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, characterized in a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means, and wherein the rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

2. The motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing means comprises a rotor bearing, and wherein the support structure is the stator and the rotational drive is the rotor.

3. The motor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a container, wherein the rotational drive is arranged within the container.

4. The motor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the container is fixed rigidly to the rotational drive such that the trajectory of the terminal substantially corresponds to a trajectory of the container, and wherein the terminal is arranged in a lateral wall of the container.

5. The motor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the container comprises a slit, and wherein the terminal is movably mounted relative to the slit.

6. The motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor comprises an output interface configured to provide a rotational frequency signal relative to a rotational frequency and/or phase of the rotational drive.

7. A patient table for a magnetic resonance (MR) room, comprising: a tabletop for bearing a patient; a holding means; and a motor comprising: a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol; and a support structure, wherein the rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, characterized in a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means, wherein the rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means, wherein the support structure of the motor is fastened to the patient table via the holding means, and wherein the tabletop is movable relative to the holding means.

8. The patient table as claimed in claim 7, wherein the holding means and the support structure comprise a configuration such that a longitudinal axis of the tabletop is parallel to at least one spatial axis of the trajectory.

9. The patient table as claimed in claim 8, wherein the configuration is embodied such that the trajectory separates the tabletop into two equally-sized areas.

10. The patient table as claimed in claim 7, wherein a damping means is provided between the support structure and the patient table to reduce mechanical vibrations.

11. A magnetic resonance (MR) elastography device, comprising: a MR elastography transducer configured to transmit vibration to a patient in dependence of rotational energy during a MR elastography imaging protocol; and a driveshaft connected to the terminal of a motor to confer the rotational energy from the rotational drive to the MR elastography transducer, the motor comprising: a rotational drive for supplying the rotational energy to power the MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol; and a support structure, wherein the rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, characterized in a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means, and wherein the rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

12. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a patient table, wherein the support structure of the motor is fastened to the patient table via a holding means.

13. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient table comprises: a tabletop for bearing a patient, and wherein the tabletop is movable relative to the holding means.

14. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the driveshaft is configured to bend in a loop depending on the position of the MR elastography transducer relative to the terminal.

15. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the driveshaft comprises a universal joint.

16. A magnetic resonance (MR) tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol, comprising: a main magnet for generating a main magnetic field; and a MR elastography device comprising: a motor comprising: a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol; and a support structure, wherein the rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, characterized in a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means, wherein the rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means; a MR elastography transducer configured to transmit vibration to a patient in dependence of the rotational energy during a MR elastography imaging protocol; and a driveshaft connected to the terminal of the motor to confer the rotational energy from the rotational drive to the MR elastography transducer.

17. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: a patient table, wherein the support structure of the motor is fastened to the patient table via a holding means.

18. The MR elastography device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the patient table comprises: a tabletop for bearing a patient, and wherein the tabletop is movable relative to the holding means.

19. The MR tomography device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the MR tomography device comprises an input interface configured to receive a rotational frequency signal relative to a rotational frequency and/or phase of the rotational drive; and a control unit configured to control the imaging of the patient according to the MR elastography imaging protocol such that the imaging is performable at least temporarily in synchrony with the rotational frequency signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

[0071] The invention will be illustrated below with reference to the accompanying figures using example embodiments. The illustration in the figures is schematic and highly simplified and not necessarily to scale.

[0072] FIG. 1 shows a motor,

[0073] FIG. 2 shows a motor in an alternative embodiment,

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a MR elastography device,

[0075] FIG. 4 shows a MR elastography device in a further embodiment

[0076] FIG. 5 shows a patient table and

[0077] FIGS. 6 and 7 a MR tomography device in two different operating modes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a motor 10 in a perspective view. The motor 10 for a MR tomography room, wherein a MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, comprises: [0079] a rotational drive 11 for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer 21, not shown in FIG. 1, usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, [0080] a container 12, [0081] a support structure 13.

[0082] The rotational drive 11 is arranged within the container 12. The rotational drive 11 comprises in this embodiment a stepper motor to generate the rotational energy. The rotational drive 11 comprises a terminal 14 for connecting the MR elastography transducer 21 (not shown in FIG. 1) to the rotational drive 11. The terminal 14 is arranged in the wall of the container 12. In this embodiment, the container 12 is cylindric and the terminal 14 is arranged in the lateral wall.

[0083] The container 12 is fixed rigidly to the rotational drive 11 such that the trajectory of the terminal 14 substantially corresponds to a trajectory of the container 12. In this embodiment, the rotational drive 11 and the container 12 are movably mounted relative to the support structure 13.

[0084] The motor 10 further comprises a bearing means 15 configured such that the position of the terminal 14 relative to the support structure 13 is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means 15.

[0085] The rotational drive 11 is mounted to the support structure 13 via the bearing means 15. In this embodiment, the bearing means comprises a rotor bearing, wherein the support structure 13 is the stator and the rotational drive 11 is the rotor. The trajectory is highlighted by arrows and allows a radial rotation.

[0086] FIG. 2 shows the motor 10 in an alternative embodiment. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the container 12 comprises a slit 17 and the terminal 14 is movably mounted relative to the slit 17. That is, the rotational drive 11 is movably mounted relative to the support structure 13 and the container 12.

[0087] FIG. 3 shows a MR elastography device 20 in a perspective view. The MR elastography device 20 comprises: [0088] a motor 10, in particular the motor 10 shown in FIG. 1, [0089] a MR elastography transducer 21 configured to transmit vibration to a patient P in dependence of the rotational energy during a MR elastography imaging protocol and [0090] a driveshaft 22 which is connected to the terminal 14 of the motor 10 to confer the rotational energy from the rotational drive 11 to the MR elastography transducer 21.

[0091] In this embodiment, the terminal 14 is configured to provide a locknut connection for this connection.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the MR elastography device 20 in a perspective view. In addition to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the driveshaft 22 comprises a universal joint 23.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows in a top view the MR elastography device 20 of FIG. 3 being integrated into a patient table 30. The patient table 30 is configured to be operated within a MR room and comprises [0094] a tabletop 31 for bearing a patient P, [0095] a holding means 32, [0096] the motor 10,

[0097] wherein the support structure 13 of the motor 10 is fastened to the patient table 30 via the holding means 32 and

[0098] wherein the tabletop 31 is movable relative to the holding means 32.

[0099] In this embodiment, the holding means 32 and the support structure 13 comprise such a configuration that a longitudinal axis of the tabletop 31 is parallel to at least one spatial axis of the trajectory. Furthermore, the configuration is embodied such that the trajectory separates the tabletop 31 in two equally sized areas. The terminal 14 is located in the middle between the bearing means 15 and in the middle relative to the short axis of the tabletop 31. Additionally, a damping means can be provided between the support structure 13 and the patient table 30 to reduce mechanical vibrations.

[0100] FIGS. 6 and 7 show a MR tomography device 40 in two different operating modes. The first operating mode is shown in FIG. 6, when the patient table 30 is in the bore, and the second operating mode is shown in FIG. 7, when the patient table 30 is outside the bore.

[0101] The MR tomography device 40 for a MR elastography imaging protocol comprises: [0102] a main magnet for generating a main magnetic field and [0103] a MR elastography device 20.

[0104] In these two embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the driveshaft 22 is configured to bend in a loop depending on the position of the MR elastography transducer 21 relative to the terminal 14. In FIG. 6 the MR elastography transducer 21 is relatively far from the terminal 14 compared to the position in FIG. 7. Furthermore, the driveshaft 22 is made from a flexible plastic material, such as PEEK. Additionally, it is shown, that a rotational axis of the container 12 is parallel to the floor, on which the patient table 30 is arranged.

[0105] FIG. 7 shows a preferred modification of the MR tomography device 40 shown in FIG. 6 in addition to the different patient table's 30 position.

[0106] The motor 10 comprises an output interface 16 which is configured to provide a rotational frequency signal relative to a rotational frequency and/or phase of the rotational drive. The MR tomography device 40 comprises an input interface 41 which is configured to receive a rotational frequency signal relative to a rotational frequency and/or phase of the rotational drive and a control unit 42 configured to control the imaging of the patient P according to the MR elastography imaging protocol such that the imaging is performable at least temporarily in synchrony with the rotational frequency signal. The input interface 41 is configured to receive the rotational frequency signal from the output interface 16, e.g. by a wired or wireless connection