MAGNETIC RESONANCE APPARATUS WITH STANDARDIZED RADIO COUPLING WITH AN EXTERNAL DEVICE

Abstract

A magnetic resonance system that is designed to carry out an examination of an examination object, and has an RF controller, a gradient controller and an image sequence controller, which are designed to acquire MR data of a volume portion of the examination object. An arithmetic unit of the magnetic resonance system is designed to reconstruct MR images from the acquired MR data. A standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface of the magnetic resonance system is designed to establish a standardized wireless connection to at least one external device.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance system, comprising: a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising a data acquisition scanner having a gradient coil arrangement and a radio-frequency (RF) antenna, an RF controller that operates the RF antenna, a gradient controller that operates the gradient coil arrangement, an image sequence controller that supervises execution of a data acquisition sequence in said data acquisition scanner involving said RF antenna and said gradient coils, and a control computer that collectively controls said Rf controller and said gradient controller and said image sequence controller, said control computer being configured to operate said magnetic resonance apparatus in order to acquire MR data from an examination subject; an image reconstruction processor configured to reconstruct MR image data from the acquired MR data and to make the MR image data available in electronic form from the reconstruction processor; and a standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface configured to establish a standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection to an external device that is external to said magnetic resonance apparatus.

2. A magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control computer is configured to generate an instruction or information based on the acquired MR data, and to provide said information or instruction to said interface, and wherein said interface is configured to communicate said information or instruction to said external device via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection.

3. A magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said interface is configured to communicate said instruction or information to said external device by WebSocketss.

4. magnetic resonance apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said interface is configured to receive information from said external device via said REST-based HTTP wireless connection, and to provide the received information to at least one of said control computer in order to implement the acquisition of said MR data according to the received information, or to said reconstruction processor in order to reconstruct said image data according to the received information.

5. A system, comprising: a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising a data acquisition scanner having a gradient coil arrangement and a radio-frequency (RF) antenna, an RF controller that operates the RF antenna, a gradient controller that operates the gradient coil arrangement, an image sequence controller that supervises execution of a data acquisition sequence in said data acquisition scanner involving said RF antenna and said gradient coils, and a control computer that collectively controls said Rf controller and said gradient controller and said image sequence controller, said control computer being configured to operate said magnetic resonance apparatus in order to acquire MR data from an examination subject; an image reconstruction processor configured to reconstruct MR image data from the acquired MR data and to make the MR image data available in electronic form from the reconstruction processor; at least one external device that is external to said magnetic resonance apparatus; and a standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface configured to establish a standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection to said at least one external device that is external to said magnetic resonance apparatus.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one device comprises: a device radio interface configured to communicate with said interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; a sensor that acquire object information from the examination object; and a control processor configured to receive said object information from said sensor and to provide said object information to said device interface for transmission to said magnetic resonance apparatus via said REST-based HTTP wireless connection.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sensor is configured to acquire ECG information from the examination object, as said object information.

8. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said at least one device comprises a device radio interface configured to communicate with said radio interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; said at least one external device comprises an activator configured to perform an activator action selected from the group consisting of stimulating the examination object and administering an administration product to the examination object; said control computer of said magnetic resonance apparatus is configured to generate an activator instruction for said activator that controls said activator action and said radio interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus is configured to transmit said activator instruction to said radio interface of said at least one external device via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; and said at least one external device comprises a control processor configured to receive the activator instruction from said radio interface of said at least one external device and to forward said activator instruction to said activator.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said activator is configured to administer a contrast medium to the examination object, as said administration product.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said activator is configured to generate and apply shockwaves, as said administration product, to a region of the examination object for magnetic resonance elastography.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said activator is configured to generate high intensity, focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to apply said HIFU to a region of the examination object, as said administration product.

12. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said activator is a ventilator and is configured to artificially respirate the examination object by applying at least one respiratory gas, as said administration product, to the examination object.

13. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one external device comprises: a device radio interface configured to communicate with said radio interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; an input detector configured to detect an input made by an operator of the external device; and a control processor configured to receive said input from said input detector and to generate input information therefrom, and to forward said input information to said device radio interface for communication to said magnetic resonance apparatus via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection.

14. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said at least one external device comprises a device radio interface configured to communicate with said radio interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; said control computer of said magnetic resonance apparatus is configured to generate output information to be presented at said at least one external device and to forward said output information to said radio interface of said magnetic resonance apparatus for transmission to said device radio interface via said standardized REST-based HTTP wireless connection; said at least on external device comprises a control processor configured to receive said output information from said device radio interface and to generate a processor output signals corresponding to said output information; and said at least one external device comprises an output unit configured to receive said processor output signal from said control processor and to present said output information at said at least one external device.

15. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one external device is magnetic resonance compatible.

16. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one external device is configured to perform a device service selected from the group consisting of: an information service configured to present information at said at least one external device, said information comprising at least one of a list of magnetic resonance data acquisition sequences that can be performed by the magnetic resonance apparatus, a current state of a magnetic resonance data acquisition sequence being executed by said magnetic resonance apparatus, and a remaining scan time for execution of a magnetic resonance data acquisition sequence currently being executed by said magnetic resonance apparatus; a patient data service comprising presentation of information about a patient serving as said examination object; an interaction service configured to present an indication or a message from said magnetic resonance apparatus; and an authorization service that, using authorization data, determines a function of said at least one external device that can be implemented by a specific operator authorized by said authorization data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 schematically shows an inventive system having an inventive magnetic resonance system and four external devices.

[0040] FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a flowchart to illustrate operation of an inventive system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows an inventive system that includes an inventive magnetic resonance system 10 and four external devices 30-60. The magnetic resonance system 10 has a data acquisition scanner 11 with a magnet that generates a polarization field B0. An examination person 13 arranged on a bed 12 is moved into the scanner 11 in order to record spatially encoded magnetic resonance signals from the examination person 13.

[0042] The magnetic resonance system 10 also has a control computer 20 that controls the magnetic resonance system 10. The control computer 20 has a gradient controller 15 for controlling and switching the necessary magnetic field gradients. An RF controller 14 is provided for controlling and generating the RF pulses for deflecting the magnetization. An image sequence controller 16 controls the sequence of the magnetic field gradients and RF pulses, and thereby indirectly the gradient controller 15 and the RF controller 14. An operator can operate the magnetic resonance system 10 via an input unit 17, and MR images and other information necessary for control can be displayed on a display unit 18. An arithmetic unit 19 having at least one processor (not shown) is provided for controlling the various units in the control computer 20. Furthermore, a memory 21 is provided, in which, for example, program modules or programs can be stored, which, when they are executed by the arithmetic unit 19 or its processor, control the sequence of the magnetic resonance system 10.

[0043] The magnetic resonance system 10 has a radio interface 22 and a standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface 23 to establish a standardized wireless connection to each of the external devices 30-60. The external device 30 has a radio interface 31, a control processor 32 and a sensor 33. Using the sensor means 33, the external device 30 can acquire information about the examination object 13, so that the external device 30 can be, for example, ECG equipment.

[0044] In addition to the radio interface 41 and the control processor 42, the external device 40 has an activator 43, with which the external device 40 can stimulate the examination object 13 or can administer an administration produce to the examination object 13. The external device 40 can therefore be a contrast medium injector, MR elastography equipment, a device for generating high intensity focused ultrasound or a ventilation machine.

[0045] The external device 50 also has a control processor 52 and a radio interface 51. In addition, the external device 50 has an input element 53 to acquire or detect an input of an operator, which is then transmitted to the magnetic resonance system 10 as corresponding information via the control processor 52 and the a radio interface 51.

[0046] The external device 60 has a radio interface 61, a control processor 62 and an output unit 63. The external device 60 is configured to emit an item of information via the output unit 63 with the use of the control processor 62. The external device 60 has received this information from the magnetic resonance system 10 via its radio interface 61.

[0047] The external devices 30-60 can advantageously be easily wirelessly connected to the magnetic resonance system 10 by the radio interface 22 and the REST-based HTTP radio interface 23 of the magnetic resonance system 10. Consequently, the magnetic resonance system 10 can advantageously cooperate synchronously with each of the external devices 30-60. Consequently, automatically coordinated operation between the magnetic resonance system 10 and each of the external devices 30-60 is possible with the inventive system shown in FIG. 1.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows the flowchart of a procedure with which operation of the inventive system shown in FIG. 1 shall be illustrated.

[0049] In step S1 an external contrast medium injector 40 is wirelessly connected to the magnetic resonance system 10 by the REST-based HTTP radio interface 23. In step S2 the magnetic resonance system 10 begins to acquire MR data from a patient 13. Coordinated with acquisition of the MR data, in step S3 the magnetic resonance system 10 automatically controls the contrast medium injector by way of WebSocketss in order to inject a contrast medium into the body of the patient 13. Even after the beginning of injection of the contrast medium, MR data of the patient continues to be acquired with the aid of the magnetic resonance system 10 in step S4. As long as there is no decision in step S5 to end injection of the contrast medium, the contrast medium continues to be injected in step S3 and MR data continues to be acquired in step S4.

[0050] Following the end of the administration of contrast medium, MR data of the patient 13 continues to be acquired in step S6 by way of the magnetic resonance system 10. Finally, MR images are reconstructed from the MR data in step S7.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows the flowchart of a further procedure, with which a further variant of operation of the inventive system shown in FIG. 1 shall be illustrated.

[0052] In this variant external ECG equipment 30 is wirelessly connected in step S11 to the magnetic resonance system 10 by the REST-based HTTP radio interface 23. In step S12 ECG data (in other words the heartbeat) of a patient 13 is acquired using this external ECG equipment 30 and is transmitted to the magnetic resonance system 10 via the wireless communications link established in step S11. The magnetic resonance system 10 acquires this ECG data in step S13 and acquires MR data of the patient 13 as a function of the ECG data. Steps S12 and S13 are carried out repeatedly until a decision is made in step S14 to end acquisition of MR data. Finally, MR images are reconstructed from the MR data in step S15, with the acquired ECG data being taken into account.

[0053] Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the Applicant to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of the Applicant's contribution to the art.