Patent ID: 8380292
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: A61B,G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for checking error states that can affect an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal measured by an ECG measuring device, which is operatively coupled to a magnetic resonance scanner, the method comprising: measuring voltages generated by a heart on an electrically-closed circuit loop across electrodes of the ECG measuring device between different pairs of the electrodes; calculating a monitoring value of the voltages generated by the heart from a combination of the measured voltages; determining a deviation of the calculated monitoring value of the voltages generated by the heart from a reference value and whether the deviation exceeds the reference value by a predefined amount; synchronous with the measuring of voltages generated by the heart, monitoring at least one signal indicative of an operational condition of the magnetic resonance scanner; if the deviation of the monitoring value of the voltages generated by the heart exceeds the reference value by the predefined amount and, based on the operational condition of the magnetic resonance scanner, identifying at least an error state due to electromagnetic interference with the monitoring value of the voltages generated by the heart, the electromagnetic interference caused by a temporal change in at least one electromagnetic field generated by the magnetic resonance scanner; outputting an error signal indicative of the error state; and generating a suppression signal configured to suppress a triggering of the magnetic resonance scanner in response to the ECG signal measured by the ECG measuring device, wherein a suppression of the magnetic resonance scanner by the suppression signal is temporally arranged to avoid recording a magnetic resonance image while the monitoring value of the voltages generated by the heart is subject to deviation which exceeds the reference value by the predefined amount.