JP2010252970A - Subject monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the visibility of, in particular, the face expression of a subject in a subject monitoring device suitable for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The subject monitoring device for monitoring a subject mounted on the top plate of the bed of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an optical fiber bundle 1, an arm 2 for supporting the distal end part of the optical fiber bundle from the top plate 5, and a video camera 11 optically connected to the rear end of the optical fiber bundle and disposed inside the body 10 of the bed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a subject monitoring apparatus used in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (MRI apparatus).

  As a patient monitor device for an MRI apparatus, a method is used in which a camera is attached to a position overlooking from the upper surface of the imaging room wall or the rear of the gantry.

In an MRI apparatus, it is the mainstream to use a local imaging receiving coil, and in particular, when a head imaging coil is used, the coil covers the patient's head. The actual situation was that the patient's facial expression was completely invisible. In addition, it is difficult to grasp a certain patient state depending on the position of the patient.

A CCD camera or the like is generally used as a patient monitoring device. When a CCD is used in an MRI apparatus, the CCD is affected by a high-frequency magnetic field, causing problems such as malfunction and overheating, and noise mixing into the apparatus becomes a problem, and a camera is installed in the gantry. It was difficult. (If the camera is installed in the gantry, it will be an obstacle when moving the patient, which will cause safety problems.)
The main purpose of the patient monitoring monitor is to grasp the patient's condition. In particular, it is necessary to be able to confirm the patient's facial expression (face) in order to monitor respiratory failure due to vomiting during vomiting. Does not play.

JP 2002-102203 A

  An object of the present invention is to improve the visibility of a facial expression of a subject, particularly in a subject monitoring apparatus suitable for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

  An aspect of the present invention provides a subject monitoring apparatus for monitoring a subject placed on a top plate of a bed of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, wherein an optical fiber bundle and a tip portion of the optical fiber bundle are attached to the top of the top. An arm supported from a plate, and a video camera optically connected to a rear end of the optical fiber bundle and disposed in the body of the bed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the subject monitoring apparatus suitable for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, the visibility of the facial expression of a subject can be improved.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the subject monitoring apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state of the subject monitoring apparatus when the bed top plate of FIG. 1 moves. It is a figure which shows the optical fiber bundle cable of the subject monitoring apparatus of FIG. 1 with a high frequency coil cable. It is an external view which shows the optical fiber bundle of the subject monitoring apparatus of FIG. 1 with a bed and a head coil. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional subject monitoring apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The subject monitoring apparatus according to this embodiment is applied to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. First, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus will be briefly described. The magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus has a coil assembly (also called a gantry) as a main structure. The coil assembly has a substantially cylindrical opening at a substantially central portion. At the time of imaging, the subject is inserted into the opening while being placed on the top of the bed. The coil assembly is provided with a static magnetic field coil, a gradient magnetic field coil, and a high frequency coil (RF coil) in order from the outside toward the inside around the opening. The high frequency coil receives a high frequency current pulse whose frequency is adjusted from a transmitter of the console, and generates a high frequency magnetic field pulse. This high frequency magnetic field pulse excites magnetization spins of specific nuclei in the subject to generate transverse magnetization components. The console receiver receives the magnetic resonance signal generated from the transverse magnetization component of the magnetized spin via the high frequency coil. The console processor reconstructs image data from the digital signal from the receiver by Fourier transform processing for each of the phase encoding axis and the frequency encoding axis. The console display displays the image data reconstructed by the processor. The controller is provided for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus. This controller is provided with a sequence controller, and the sequence controller executes a pulse sequence by controlling the gradient power source, the transmitter, and the receiver according to the pulse sequence data.

The subject monitoring apparatus according to this embodiment is applied to a bed of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the couch has a couchtop 5 on which a subject is placed and a couch body 10 that supports the couchtop 5 movably along its longitudinal axis. is doing. The top plate 5 can be provided with a local high-frequency coil, for example, a head high-frequency coil 17 for accommodating the head of the subject. A connector (top plate connector) 3 for detachably connecting the high frequency signal cable 18 from the high frequency coil 17 for the head to the flexible cable 4 is provided on the side surface of the top plate 5. The flexible cable 4 is introduced into the bed body 10 via the bed body connector 6, and is connected to the console transmitter / receiver 23 via the bed body 10 by the flexible cable 22.

  The subject monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment has an optical fiber bundle 1 as a video fiber composed of a plurality of optical fibers. The optical fiber bundle 1 is supported by an articulated arm 2 that can be mounted on the top plate 5 at an arbitrary position. The top plate 5 is provided with optical connectors 3 arranged at a plurality of locations, and is optically connected to the optical fiber bundle 1 by an arbitrary optical connector 3. The optical fiber bundle 1 is introduced into the bed body 10 through the same path as the high-frequency signal line 18 from the high-frequency coil 17. Typically, the optical fiber bundle 1 is accommodated in the flexible cable 4 together with the high-frequency signal line 18 from the high-frequency coil 17.

  The bed body 10 accommodates a video camera, typically a CCD camera 11. The rear end of the optical fiber bundle 7 is optically connected to the CCD camera 11. At least one optical fiber 8 of the optical fiber bundle 7 is optically connected to the light source 12 and used for illumination for illuminating the subject. The illumination optical fiber 8 is not only used for illuminating the subject but also used for instructions such as breath holding for the subject.

  The signal output line 14 of the CCD camera 11 is bundled together with the control line 15 of the light source 12 together with the magnetically shielded cable 13 and pulled out from the bed body 10. The signal output line 14 of the CCD camera 11 is connected to a display 25 of the console and a display 26 in the photographing room where the gantry is installed. An image showing the facial expression of the subject is displayed on both the console display 25 and the imaging room display 26. The control line 15 of the light source 12 is connected to the sequence controller 24 of the console. The sequence controller 24 can issue an instruction, such as breath holding, to the subject while the pulse sequence proceeds, by irradiating light from the illumination optical fiber.

  A high-frequency signal line 18 from the high-frequency coil 17 is drawn out from the bed body 10 by a magnetically shielded cable 22 separately from the signal output line 14 of the CCD camera 11 and the cable 13 of the control line 15 of the light source 12. Prevention of noise mixing into the high-frequency signal line 18 of the coil 17 is ensured.

  According to the present embodiment, not only functions as a monitor system that can clearly observe a patient's facial expression even when a head coil or the like is used, but also when the patient position changes.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

  The present invention is used to improve the visibility of a facial expression of a subject, particularly in a subject monitoring device suitable for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber bundle (video fiber), 2 ... Articulated arm, 3 ... Top plate connector, 4 ... Flexible composite cable, 5 ... Bed top plate, 6 ... Bed connector, 7 ... Optical fiber bundle, 8 ... Illumination Fiber 9: High-frequency signal line, 10 ... Sleeper body, 11 ... CCD camera (video camera), 12 ... Light source, 13 ... Video cable, 14 ... Video signal line, 15 ... Signal line for illumination, 16 ... High-frequency signal line .

Claims (5)

In the subject monitoring apparatus for monitoring the subject placed on the couch top of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus,
An optical fiber bundle,
An arm that supports a tip portion of the optical fiber bundle from the top plate;
An object monitoring apparatus comprising: a video camera optically connected to a rear end of the optical fiber bundle and disposed in a body of the bed. The subject monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video camera is magnetically shielded. The subject monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light source optically connected to at least one optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle and disposed in a body of the bed. The subject monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber bundle is introduced into the body of the bed through the same path as a signal cable of a high-frequency coil of the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The subject monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connectors that can be connected to / separated from the optical fiber bundles disposed at a plurality of locations on the bed.

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