Patent ID: 7518369
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: a housing comprising a plurality of deployable barriers attached to the housing; a basic field magnet located within said housing; a control unit connected to said basic field magnet that operates said basic field magnet to produce a magnetic field at a first magnetic field intensity exhibiting an exterior magnetic field intensity outside of said housing below a safety limit when said barriers are not deployed, and that operates said basic field magnet to produce a magnetic field at a second magnetic field intensity, that is higher than said first magnetic field intensity, when said barriers are deployed, exhibiting an exterior magnetic field intensity outside of said barriers below said safety limit; and an interlock associated with said control unit that precludes said control unit from operating said basic field magnet to produce a magnetic field having a magnetic field intensity higher than said first magnetic field intensity unless said barriers are detected as being deployed.