Electrocardiography Device for use in Combination with a Magnetic Resonance Device

Abstract

An electrocardiography device (ECG device) designed for use in combination with a magnetic resonance device, including: a carrier unit; a receiving unit designed to mount on the carrier unit; an electrode; an electrode conductor connecting the electrode to the receiving unit, wherein the electrode conductor is stabilized at least partially by way of a shapeable guide element.

Claims

1. An electrocardiography device (ECG device) designed for use in combination with a magnetic resonance device, comprising: a carrier unit; a receiving unit designed to mount on the carrier unit; an electrode; and an electrode conductor connecting the electrode to the receiving unit, wherein the electrode conductor is stabilized at least partially by way of a shapeable guide element.

2. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shapeable guide element comprises a stabilizing component selected from a group of components consisting of: MR-insensitive metal wire; aluminum wire; and copper wire and flexibly mutually engaging and connected hemispheres and/or spheres.

3. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shapeable guide element has a length of between 5 cm and 25 cm.

4. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a length of the shapeable guide element corresponds to at least 80% of the length of the electrode conductor.

5. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein starting from an end of the electrode conductor adjoining the electrode, between 0.3 cm and 3 cm of the electrode conductor is free of a stabilization by the shapeable guide element.

6. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier unit is designed to mount on a patient table.

7. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier unit comprises a fixing unit designed to accommodate the receiving unit.

8. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier unit comprises a manually stiffly shapeable carrier structure.

9. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier unit comprises a stable frame to position above a ribcage of an examination object.

10. The ECG device as claimed in claim 1, comprising: a movement sensor unit arranged on the electrode conductor and/or the shapeable guide element, designed to capture a movement of the electrode conductor.

11. The ECG device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the movement sensor unit comprises a movement detection unit and a first electrical conductor, and the movement detection unit is designed to capture the movement of the electrode conductor based on a continuous measurement of an electrical resistance in the first electrical conductor.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A magnetic resonance (MR) device, comprising: a detector unit designed to record an MR signal of an examination object which is arranged within a patient receiving region which is at least partially surrounded by the detector unit; and an ECG device as claimed in claim 1, the ECG device being arranged within the patient receiving region and being designed to capture an ECG signal from the examination object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Further advantages, features and details of the disclosure will become apparent from the description below of exemplary aspects and from the drawings, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a first aspect of an ECG device according to the disclosure in a schematic representation,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a second aspect of an ECG device according to the disclosure in a schematic representation,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a third aspect of an ECG device according to the disclosure in a schematic representation,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an aspect of a shapeable guide element in a schematic representation,

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of an aspect of a disclosed method, and

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a magnetic resonance device according to the disclosure in a schematic representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a first aspect of an ECG device 50 according to the disclosure for use in combination with a magnetic resonance device 11 in a schematic representation. The ECG device 50 comprises a carrier unit 40 and a receiving unit 42 designed for mounting on the carrier unit 40. In addition, the ECG device 50 comprises an electrode 44 and an electrode conductor 45 connecting the electrode 44 to the receiving unit 42, wherein the electrode conductor 45 is stabilized at least partially by a shapeable guide element 51. The ECG device 50 comprises the shapeable guide element 51. The shapeable guide element 51 has a length of between 5 cm and 25 cm. The length of the shapeable guide element 51 corresponds to at least 80% of the length of the electrode conductor 45. Starting from the end of the electrode conductor 45 adjoining the electrode 44, between 0.5 cm and 3 cm of the electrode conductor 45 is free of a stabilization by the shapeable guide element 51. The carrier unit 40 is designed for mounting on a patient table 16. The carrier unit 40 can comprise a stable frame 39 for positioning above a ribcage of an examination object 15.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a second aspect of an ECG device 50 according to the disclosure in a schematic representation. The second aspect differs from the first aspect shown in FIG. 1 in that the carrier unit 40 comprises a fixing unit 43 which is designed for accommodating the receiving unit 42. In addition, according to this aspect, the ECG device 50 comprises a movement sensor unit 60 arranged on the electrode conductor 45 and/or the shapeable guide element 51, configured for capturing a movement of the electrode conductor 45. The movement sensor unit 60 comprises a movement detection unit 62 and a first electrical conductor 61. The movement detection unit 62 is designed to capture the movement of the electrode conductor 45 on the basis of a continuous measurement of an electrical resistance in the first electrical conductor 61.

FIG. 3 shows a third aspect of an ECG device 50 according to the disclosure in a schematic representation. The third aspect differs from the first and second aspect in the carrier unit 40 which comprises a manually stiffly shapeable carrier structure 41.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an aspect of a shapeable guide element 51 in a schematic representation in which the shapeable guide element 51 is designed for a stabilizing effect as flexibly mutually engaging and connected hemispheres and/or spheres 52. The shapeable guide element 51 can alternatively and/or additionally comprise one of the following components: MR-insensitive metal wire; aluminum wire; and copper wire. [0050] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of an aspect of a disclosed method for capturing an ECG signal of an examination object 15 using an ECG device 50 according to the disclosure in combination with a capture of MR signals of the examination object 15 by means of a magnetic resonance device 11 according to the following method steps: method step 110 provides for capturing an MR signal of the examination object 15. In method step 120, the capturing of an ECG signal of the examination object 15 takes place. One aspect comprises method step 130, which provides for a capturing of a movement of the electrode conductor 45, wherein after a captured movement of the electrode conductor 45, at least one of the following method steps is carried out: method step 141, a rejection of the ECG signal; method step 142, a correction of the ECG signal; method step 143, an indication of the movement to the magnetic resonance device 11; method step 144, a rejection of the MR signal; and method step 145, a correction of the MR signal.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a magnetic resonance device 11 according to the disclosure in a schematic representation. The magnetic resonance device 11 comprises a detector unit 13 designed to record an MR signal of an examination object 15 which is arranged within a patient receiving region 14 at least partially surrounded by the detector unit 13. In addition, the magnetic resonance device 11 further comprises an ECG device 50 according to the disclosure, said ECG device 50 being arranged within the patient receiving region 14 and being designed to capture an ECG signal from the examination object 15.

[0052] The detector unit 13 comprises a main magnet 17 for generating a static main magnetic field 18 of at least 0.5 tesla, preferably at least 1.4 tesla, particularly preferably at least 2.9 tesla. In addition, the magnetic resonance device 11 has a cylindrical patient receiving region 14 for receiving an examination object 15, wherein the patient receiving region 14 is cylindrically enclosed in a circumferential direction by the detector unit 13. The examination object 15 can be pushed into the patient receiving region 14 by means of a patient positioning apparatus of the magnetic resonance device 11. For this purpose, the patient positioning apparatus has a patient table 16 which is movably arranged within the magnetic resonance device 11.

[0053] The detector unit 13 also has a gradient coil unit 19 which can be used for a position encoding during an imaging process. The gradient coil unit 19 is actuated by means of a gradient control unit 28. Furthermore, the detector unit 13 has a radio frequency antenna unit 20 which, in the case shown, is configured as a body coil firmly integrated into the magnetic resonance device 11, and a radio frequency antenna control unit 29 for an excitation of a polarization which occurs in the main magnetic field 18 generated by the main magnet 17. The radio frequency antenna unit 20 is actuated by the radio frequency antenna control unit 29 and radiates radio frequency pulses into an examination space which is substantially formed by the patient receiving region 14.

[0054] The magnetic resonance device 11 additionally comprises an inventive ECG device 50 which is to be arranged within the patient receiving region 14, preferably touching the examination object 15. The magnetic resonance device 11 preferably comprises an ECG control unit 53 which is arranged outside the patient receiving region 14. The ECG control unit 53 is preferably designed to control an interaction between the ECG device 50 and the magnetic resonance device 11, in particular, dependent upon a captured movement of the electrode conductor 45. The ECG control unit 53 can also be designed for triggering an MR control sequence on the basis of an ECG signal captured by the ECG device 50. The ECG control unit 53 is typically connected to the ECG device 50. The ECG control unit 53 can be included by the ECG device 50.

[0055] The magnetic resonance device 11 has a control unit 24 for controlling the main magnet 17, the gradient control unit 28 and the radio frequency antenna control unit 29. The control unit 24 centrally controls the magnetic resonance device 11, for example, the execution of MR control sequences. The magnetic resonance device 11 has a display unit 25. Control information such as, for example, control parameters and reconstructed image data and/or ECG signals can be displayed for a user on the display unit 25, for example, on at least one monitor. In addition, the magnetic resonance device 11 has an input unit 26 by means of which information and/or control parameters can be input by a user during a scanning procedure. The control unit 24 can comprise the gradient control unit 28 and/or the radio frequency antenna control unit 29 and/or the display unit 25 and/or the input unit 26 and/or the ECG control unit 53. The control unit 24 is typically connected to the ECG control unit 53. The ECG control unit 53 can further comprise a movement correction unit (not shown).

[0056] The control unit 24 and the ECG control unit 53 are also designed to carry out a disclosed method for capturing an ECG signal and MR signals. For this purpose, the control unit 24 and/or the ECG control unit 53 have computer programs and/or software which are loadable directly into a memory store unit (not disclosed in detail) of the ECG control unit 53, with program means in order to carry out a disclosed method when the computer programs and/or software are carried out in the control unit 24 and/or the ECG control unit 53. For this purpose, the control unit 24 and/or the ECG control unit 53 have a processor (not disclosed in detail) which is configured to carry out the computer programs and/or software. Alternatively, the computer programs and/or software can also be stored on an electronically readable data carrier 21 configured separately from the control unit 24 and/or the ECG control unit 53, wherein a data access by the control unit 24 and/or the ECG control unit 53 to the electronically readable data carrier 21 can take place via a data network.

[0057] The magnetic resonance device 11 disclosed can naturally comprise further components that magnetic resonance devices 11 typically have. A general functional method of a magnetic resonance device 11 is also known to a person skilled in the art, so that a detailed description of the further components is omitted. Thus, the magnetic resonance device 11 is configured, together with the ECG control unit 53 and the control unit 24, for carrying out a disclosed method.

[0058] A disclosed method can also exist in the form of a computer program product which implements the method on the ECG control unit 53 and/or the control unit 24 when it is executed on the ECG control unit 53 and/or on the control unit 24. An electronically readable data carrier 21 with electronically readable control information items stored thereon can also be provided, said control information items comprising at least a computer program product such as just described and being configured, on use of the data carrier 21 in a control device 24 and/or an ECG control unit 53 of a magnetic resonance device 11, to carry out the method described.

[0059] Although the disclosed aspects has been illustrated and described in detail based upon the preferred exemplary aspects, the disclosed aspects are not restricted by the examples given and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the protective scope of the disclosure.