JPH03224539A - RF coil for head and neck of MRI machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an MRI apparatus (an imaging apparatus using nuclear magnetic resonance), and particularly relates to a head and neck RF coil for examining the head or neck of a subject using an MRI apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the head and neck RF coil of an MRI apparatus has been formed integrally with the headrest. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the head and neck RF coil 6 is slidably held on a base 7 to which the headrest 5 is fixed, and this base 7 itself is detachably mounted on the bed top 3. It is now possible to do so. When using the head and neck RF coil 6, the entire base 7 is placed and fixed on the bed top 3, the subject's head is placed on the headrest 5, and then the RF coil 6 is placed on the base. 7 and set it on the head. In order to keep the RF coil 6 away from the head when the head is placed on or taken down from the headrest 5, the RF coil 6 can be slid on the base 7.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, configuring the head and neck RF coil integrally with the headrest in this way requires a base large enough to move the RF coil, and requires a large mechanical strength to firmly fix the headrest. There is a need to. As a result, the weight becomes very heavy, making it difficult to attach and detach from the bed top plate, and the manufacturing cost also increases. An object of the present invention is to provide an RF coil for the head condyle of an MRI apparatus that is easy to attach and detach and can be manufactured at low cost.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the head and neck RF coil of the MRI apparatus of the present invention includes a bed having a bed top plate and a rail for moving the bed top plate, and a rail for guiding the bed top plate into the inside. In the MRI apparatus, the MRI apparatus includes a leg section that detachably rides on the rail of the bed and the gantry and moves thereon, and a unidirectional stopper mechanism provided on the leg section and the rail of the gantry. It is characterized by being prepared.

[For production]

The subject is laid down on the bed top, and in this state, the bed top is moved on the rails, thereby moving the subject toward the gantry. A rail is also provided inside the gantry, and this rail corresponds to the rail on the bed, so that the bed top board that has been moved onto the bed rail as described above is moved to the rail inside the gantry and placed above this rail. The bed top plate and the patient on it are thus introduced into the gantry. The head and neck RF coil has legs that detachably ride on the rails of the bed and gantry and move thereon. Therefore, by placing the legs on the rails and moving them, the head and neck RF coil can be set on the head of the subject lying on the bed top. With the head and neck RF coil set in this manner, the bed top plate is moved as described above, the subject is introduced into the gantry, and the test is performed. After the inspection, the bed top plate is pulled out from inside the gantry.
At this time, the head and neck RF coil is held in the gantry by the stopper mechanism, and only the bed top plate and the subject are pulled out. This stopper mechanism is unidirectional, and functions as a stopper in the direction of pulling it out from the gantry, but does not function as a stopper in the direction of introducing it into the gantry.
When the F coil enters the gantry together with the bed top plate, it does not pose any obstacle.

【Example】

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a gantry 1 houses a magnet for generating a static magnetic field, a coil for generating a gradient magnetic field, and the like. A subject 4 lies on a top plate 3 of a bed 2. This bed 2 is provided with a rail 21, and wheels 31 provided on the bed top plate 3 ride on this rail 21, so that the bed top plate 3 can be moved smoothly. A rail 11 is also provided inside the gantry 1, and the rail 21 of the bed 2 corresponds to this rail 11. Move to Gantry 1
be introduced within. A headrest 5 is provided on the bed top 3, on which the head of the subject 4 is placed. The head and neck RF coil 6 is
It is brought into the gantt 1 from the outside and fitted onto the rail 11 thereof. The head and neck RF coil 6 has legs 6 that fit into the rail 11 and move on it, as shown in FIG.
1, and by moving rightward on the rail 11, it moves to the rail 21 of the bed 2 and is set at the head position on the headrest 5. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a slide shoe 62 is provided on the bottom surface of the bed to improve sliding on the bed top plate 3. Thereby, the head and neck RF coil 6 is set so as to cover the head of the subject 4 on the headrest 5, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. With the head and neck RF coil 6 set in this manner, the bed top plate 3 is moved to the left side, and the head of the subject 4 is inserted into the gantry 1 together with the head and neck RF coil 6, and the examination is performed. will be held. After the inspection is completed, the bed top plate 3 is moved to the right side and pulled out from the gantry 1. At this time, head and neck RF
The coil 6 also tries to be pulled out, but is automatically stopped at the end of the gantry 1 by the stopper mechanism described below. That is, in this embodiment, a shaft 63 is provided on the leg portion 61 of the head and neck RF coil 6, and a lever 64 is rotatably attached to this shaft 63. This lever 64
The space in which it is placed is covered with a cover 65. On the other hand, the rail 11 is provided with a groove 12 into which the tip of the lever 64 fits. Therefore, when the head and neck RF coil 6 is sent into the gantry 1 (moves to the left), the lever 64 enters the groove 12 once but overcomes it, so the head and neck RF coil 6 does not cause any obstruction. It is introduced into the gantry 1 without any problem. On the other hand, when the bed top plate 3 is pulled out (when the head and neck R and F coils 6 move to the right), the tip of the lever 64 enters the groove 12 and the tip engages with the right end of the groove 12. Therefore, the head and neck RF coil 6 cannot move any further to the right and remains in that position. First, connect the head and neck RF coil 6 to the rail 1 of the gantry 1.
1, the lever 64 is placed on the right side of the groove 12 so that they do not engage with each other so that it can be moved to the right. Then, the head and neck RF coil 6 is connected to the rail 1 of the gantry 1.
1 to the rail 21 of the bed 2, adjust the length of the flat part of the bottom of the tip of the lever 64 to the rail
The distance between the lever 64 and the rail 21 is set larger than the distance between the gap between the lever 64 and the rail 11.2.
You can prevent it from getting caught in the gap between the two. Note that this unidirectional stopper mechanism is not limited to the one described above, and various types can be considered. For example, as shown in FIG.
A configuration in which the groove 12 is biased and engaged with the groove 12 is also conceivable.

【Effect of the invention】

The RF coil for the head and neck of the MRI apparatus according to the present invention has legs that can be detachably moved on the rails for moving the bed top plate, so it is configured as a single RF coil for the head and neck separately from the headrest. This reduces the overall weight and makes it easier to put on and take off. In addition, when the bed top plate is pulled out from inside the gantry after the examination, only the head and neck RF coil will automatically stay in the gantry due to the stopper mechanism, so just by pulling out the bed top plate, the RF coil can be removed from the subject's head and is very easy to operate. Furthermore, since such a stopper mechanism can be realized with a simple mechanism, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention seen from the front, FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing only the head and neck RF coil and headrest area shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment of the invention. A-A
Line sectional view, Figure 4 is B showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the stopper mechanism.
-B sectional view, Figure 5 is a C-C sectional view of Figure 4,
The figure is a sectional view of a modified example, and FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional example. 1... Gantry, 11... Gantry inner rail, 12
... Groove, 2... Bed, 21... Bed rail, 3... Bed top plate, 31... Wheels, 4... Subject, 5... Headrest, 6...・RF coil for head and neck, 61... Leg, 62... Slide shoe, 63
...Shaft, 64...Lever, 65...Cover, 66
...Pin, 67...Spring, 7...Base.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an MRI apparatus comprising a bed having a bed top plate and a rail for moving the bed top plate, and a gantry having a rail for guiding the bed top plate into the inside, the gantry can be detachably attached to the bed and the rail of the gantry. An RF coil for a head and neck region of an MRI apparatus, which includes a leg portion on which the user rides and moves, and a unidirectional stopper mechanism provided on the leg portion and a rail of a gantry.