MAGNETIC RESONANCE SYSTEM WITH AIR SUCTION APPARATUS

Abstract

A magnetic resonance system has an air suction apparatus configured and arranged so as to suck air exhaled by a patient examined by the MR system. A method for operating the MR system is also provided, with which air exhaled by a patient examined by the MR system is sucked in.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance (MR) system comprising: an air suction apparatus configured to suck air exhaled by a patient being examined by the MR system.

2. The MR system of claim 1, further comprising: a MR head coil, wherein at least one air intake opening of the air suction apparatus is arranged on the MR head coil.

3. The MR system of claim 2, further comprising: a stationary MR device, wherein a plurality of air intake openings is distributed across a length of a patient compartment and opens into the patient compartment.

4. The MR system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of air intake openings is selectively optionally air-permeable and closeable as a function of a position of a head of the patient located in the patient compartment.

5. The MR system of claim 2, wherein the air suction apparatus has at least one replaceable filter apparatus configured to filter intake air.

6. The MR system of claim 5, wherein an air flow volume of the air suction apparatus is configured to be adjusted variably.

7. The MR system of claim 2, wherein the MR head coil has an anterior part and a posterior part, and wherein an air intake opening of the at least one air intake opening is on the anterior part.

8. The MR system of claim 7, wherein the air intake opening is integrated into the anterior part.

9. The MR system of claim 8, wherein at least one air intake channel having at the least one air intake opening runs in sections through the posterior part and in sections through the anterior part, and wherein posterior sections and anterior sections of the at least one air intake channel are connected to one another in an air-permeable manner when the anterior part is attached.

10. The MR system of claim 9, wherein the posterior sections and the anterior sections of the at least one air intake channel are connected to one another when the anterior part is attached to a collar of the posterior part.

11. The MR system of claim 10, wherein an air intake opening of the at least one air intake opening is arranged on a mouth/nose region of the anterior part.

12. The MR system of claim 7, wherein an air intake opening of the at least one air intake opening is arranged on a mouth/nose region of the anterior part.

13. The MR system of claim 1, wherein the air suction apparatus has at least one flexible air suction channel configured to be fastened to a patient table or to a local coil.

14. The MR system of claim 1, further comprising: a stationary MR device, wherein a plurality of air intake openings is distributed across a length of a patient compartment and opens into the patient compartment.

15. The MR system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of air intake openings is selectively optionally air-permeable and closeable as a function of a position of a head of the patient located in the patient compartment.

16. The MR system of claim 1, wherein the air suction apparatus has at least one replaceable filter apparatus configured to filter intake air.

17. The MR system of claim 16, wherein an air flow volume of the air suction apparatus is configured to be adjusted variably.

18. A method for operating a magnetic resonance (MR) system, the method comprising: sucking in, by an air suction apparatus of the MR system, air exhaled by a patient being examined by the MR system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 depicts as a sectional representation in a side view a drawing of a MR system with a stationary MR device, according to an embodiment.

[0039] FIG. 2 depicts as a sectional representation in the side view a drawing of a head coil, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 depicts as a sectional representation in the side view a drawing of a MR system 1 with a stationary MR device 2, into the patient compartment 3 (“bore”) of which a patient P lying on a patient table 4 has been inserted head K first. The design of the stationary MR device 2 with various coils etc. for carrying out a MR examination on the patient is essentially well-known. The MR system 1 further may have a control and evaluation console (above FIG.) on which an operator may control the MR device 2 and on which MR images may also be observed, for instance.

[0041] The MR system 1 additionally has an air suction apparatus 5, which is configured and arranged so as to suck air exhaled by a patient P examined by the MR device 2. This has an air conveying facility 6 on or, as shown, outside of the MR device 2, which for instance one or more fans (above FIG.) and a filter apparatus 7 for filtering germs out from the through-flowing air. The filtered air is output on the pressure side of the air conveying facility 6 and indicated in an exhaust air system or in the external air.

[0042] For instance, the power of the air conveying facility 6 and thus of the air volume flow conveyed through the air conveying facility 6 may be adjusted variably by way of the control console. An indication may also be output to the control console if one or more filters of the filter apparatus 7 are to be replaced.

[0043] An air intake channel 8 which splits into a number of branches 9 upstream of or, as shown, in the MR device 2, is connected on a suction side of the air conveying facility 6. Each of the branches 9 opens into a wall of the patient compartment 2 and therefore forms there a respective air intake opening 10. The branches 9 are shown here concentrated in the region of a head K of the patient P but may be distributed arbitrarily across the length of the patient compartment in respect of the location and number. The branches 9 and thus air intake openings 10 may also be distributed in the peripheral direction of the, in some cases, cylinder-shaped patient compartment 2, e.g., here in the peripheral direction about a longitudinal axis of the patient compartment 2 at sheet level.

[0044] Some or all of the branches 9 may be equipped with a respective shut-off valve 11, so that the associated air intake openings 10 may be selectively optionally air-permeable and closeable. An intake air flow in the patient compartment 2 may therefore be adjusted in a targeted manner to the patient P and to the exhaled air. For instance, the shut-off valves 11 of those branches 9 or air intake openings 10 may be opened selectively, which border a spatial region of the patient compartment 2, in which the highest concentration of exhaled air may be available, e.g., above (anterior) the mouth and below (inferior) the nose, as shown by the arrows. Other air suction openings may remain closed. The position of the head K may be derived, e.g., from the position of the patient table 4 in conjunction with the relative position of the patient P on the patient table 4 or from an image evaluation.

[0045] FIG. 2 depicts as a sectional representation in the side view a drawing of a local coil in the form of a head coil 12. This may represent a component of the MR system 1 and be used together with the MR device 2.

[0046] The head coil 12 has a posterior part 13, in which the head K of the patient P is placed. The inferior region of the posterior part 13 nestles around the neck of the patient and is therefore also referred to as a collar 14. The collar 14 is open on the anterior in order to be able to insert the neck. The anterior surface of the collar 14 is located inferior to a nose N of the patient P and thus in or slightly below a flow of breath exhaled through the nose N.

[0047] The head coil 12 further has an anterior part 15, which may be attached, in particular inserted, from the anterior side onto the posterior part 13, which anterior part 15 covers the face of the head K and thus also nose N and mouth M.

[0048] Here, a plurality of air intake openings 10, which forms open end faces of corresponding branches 9 of an “anterior” section 16a, running in the anterior part 15 of an air suction channel 16 integrated into the head coil 12 of an air suction apparatus 18, is located on an inner side of the anterior part 15, for instance. The air intake openings 10 are located anterior to the mouth M and inferior to the nose N and therefore lie in the flow of breath produced by the mouth M and nose N. The air intake openings 10 are therefore located on a mouth/nose region of the anterior part 15. Similar to FIG. 1, the air intake openings 10 may also be distributed in the peripheral direction about a horizontal axis lying at the sheet level.

[0049] The various branches 9 of the “anterior” section 16a converge to form one or more coupling openings 17a, which are present in a contact area, which is attached to a corresponding contact area in the collar 14 of the posterior part 13. When the anterior part is attached, the at least one coupling opening 17a is connected to at least one corresponding coupling opening 17p in the collar 14 of the posterior part 13 to form an air interface, in particular by a direct insertion. The at least one coupling opening 17p forms one end of at least one “posterior” section 16p of the air suction channel 16, which runs in the posterior part 13, which exits at the other side from the posterior part 13 and is connected to the suction side of an air conveying facility 6. The air conveying facility 6 may be the air conveying facility 6 shown in FIG. 1 or may be an air conveying facility 6 which differs therefrom.

[0050] If the air suction channel 16 is connected to the air conveying facility 6, an operator may switch on the air conveying facility 6 and may adjust the throughput air volume or rate of air flow. If the air conveying facility 6 is switched on, it sucks air through the air intake openings 10, through the anterior section 16a of the air intake channel 16, through the coupling openings 17a, 17p connected in an air-permeable manner with one another and through the posterior section 16p and to a suitable outlet region, e.g., after filtering. The at least one filter may be located at any point in the conveyed air flow.

[0051] If the anterior part 15 is alternatively removed, air is taken in through the coupling opening(s) 17p of the posterior part 13. As a result, at least the flow of breath exhaled through the nose N may be taken in.

[0052] Although the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail by the exemplary embodiments shown, the disclosure is not restricted thereto, and other variations may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the protective scope of the disclosure.

[0053] Therefore, with a MR examination, both air suction apparatuses 5 and 18 may be operated simultaneously by using a head coil 12.

[0054] In general, “a,” “an,” etc., may be understood as singular or plural, in particular in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more,” etc., provided this is not explicitly excluded, e.g., by the expression “precisely one,” etc.

[0055] A numerical value may also include the given value as well as a tolerance range, provided this is not explicitly excluded.

[0056] It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend on only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

[0057] While the present disclosure has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it may be understood that many changes and modifications may be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.