Patent ID: 8798713
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for tracking a tracked item in a patient comprising the steps of: introducing a patient into a magnetic resonance data acquisition unit comprising a radio frequency (RF) transmit array system comprising an RF radiator having an RF radiator structure configured as a birdcage antenna, said patient, before or after introduction into the data acquisition unit, having an electrically conductive item, selected from the group consisting of a wire and an ICRF coil, located therein to be tracked as a tracked item; operating the magnetic resonance data acquisition unit to acquire magnetic resonance data from the patient introduced therein inside the birdcage antenna, including operating said birdcage antenna by providing a plurality of different RF transmission profiles thereto in a plurality of data acquisition repetition times, said plurality of different RF transmission profiles causing said birdcage antenna to radiate a linearly polarized RF field that circulates by progressing through different field directions in the respective repetition times, and thereby causing the tracked item and anatomy in the subject surrounding the tracked item to behave differently as said field direction changes by inducing a current in said tracked item that has a phase that changes dependent on said different field directions, and thereby also causing said tracked item and said surrounding anatomy to emit magnetic resonance signals that are distinguishable from each other; in a computerized processor, processing said magnetic resonance signals from said tracked item and said surrounding anatomy to produce an electronic data file representing an image, in which said tracked item and said surrounding anatomy are distinguishable from each other and in which a rotational orientation and position of said tracked item with respect to said surrounding anatomy are also visible; providing said electronic data file from said processor to a display in communication with said processor and, at said display, displaying said image represented by said electronic data file.