Patent ID: 8280487
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a magnetic resonance apparatus, said magnetic resonance apparatus comprising a magnetic field generator that generates a homogenous magnetic field, a patient positioning table having a displaceable tabletop, and a control device that controls displacement of said tabletop relative to the homogenous magnetic field for acquisition of images of an anatomical object of the patient in a field of view within said homogenous magnetic field, said method comprising the steps of: making information accessible by said control device that describes a size of the patient, identifies said anatomical object, and describes a size of said homogenous magnetic field in a direction corresponding to a direction of displacement of said tabletop; in said control device, automatically, non-manually determining a size of the anatomical object from said size of the patient, and automatically, non-manually determining a determined size of said field of view dependent on said size of said anatomical object; in said control device, automatically, non-manually determining a stepped displacement of said tabletop from said determined size of said field of view and said size of said anatomical object, and configuring said stepped displacement to acquire data from a plurality of successive regions of the patient with respective adjoining regions in said successive regions exhibiting an overlap with each other in order to acquire image data from the patient with complete coverage of said anatomical object; making further information accessible by said control device that identifies a data acquisition protocol to be used for said image data acquisition and, in said control unit, automatically, non-manually adjusting said determined size of said field of view dependent on said image acquisition protocol, to obtain an adjusted size of said field of view and also automatically, non-manually determining a final stepped displacement for said tabletop in said image data acquisition, with said overlap, dependent on said adjusted size of said field of view, that maintains said complete coverage of said anatomical object; and from said control unit, operating said magnetic resonance apparatus to acquire said image data from said patient on said tabletop with said tabletop being displaced by said final stepped displacement.