Patent ID: 6119032
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: A61B,G01R

Abstract:
An MR system for establishing an anticipated trajectory for an intervention in a body in an examination zone, the anticipated trajectory being in a first portion of the body between an entry point on the body and a target in the body, the MR system comprising:means for generating a static magnetic field in the examination zone,means for generating RF pulses in the examination zone,means for generating magnetic field gradient pulses in the examination zone,means for receiving MR-signals from the examination zone,processing means for processing received signals into an image,a control unit for generating control signals for the means for generating RF-pulses, the means for generating magnetic field gradient pulses, the means for receiving MR signals, andmeans for establishing the anticipated trajectory by obtaining one or more pre-intervention MR images including images of the first portion of the body with the target from which the anticipated trajectory for the intervention is selected, wherein the first portion of the body comprises a slab parallel to a surface of the body containing the entry point of the anticipated trajectory,obtaining one or more entry MR-images including images of an MR-visible device positioned substantially at the entry point and of at least a part of the anticipated trajectory near the entry point, andmanipulating the MR-visible device so that it is substantially aligned with the anticipated trajectory according to information from the entry MR images on its actual orientation,whereby the anticipated trajectory for the intervention can be established from the alignment of the MR-visible device in real-time MR images just before the instant of intervention.