Patent ID: 8386016
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: A61B,A61N,G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a position shift of an area in an examination subject, comprising the steps of: acquiring first magnetic resonance (MR) image data from a body region of a patient positioned for hyperthermia treatment in an MR imaging apparatus by operating said MR imaging apparatus with an operating sequence that causes said first MR image data to be optimized to embody derivable temperature information and, as a consequence, causes said first MR image data to embody imprecise representations of anatomical structures; supplying said first MR image data to a computerized processor and, in said processor, from said first MR image data, determining an area to be treated in said body region by said hyperthermia treatment; from said processor, controlling alignment of a focus of a hyperthermia applicator relative to a position of said area to be treated in order to place said focus within said area to be treated; operating said MR imaging apparatus with said operating sequence to acquire second MR image data, also embodying derivable temperature information and imprecise representations of anatomical structures, from said body region of said patient; in said processor, comparing said second MR image data with said first MR image data to identify if a position shift of said area to be heated has occurred after placing said focus within said area to be treated by recording and evaluating a time curve of said position of said area to be treated, and, if so, identifying, from said time curve, a distance of the position-shifted area to be treated from the location of the area to be treated represented by said first image data, comparing said distance with a predetermined threshold, and generating a signal indicative of a fault if said distance exceeds said threshold; and deriving temperature information, as derived temperature information, from the derivable temperature information embodied in at least one of said first and second MR images, and monitoring said hyperthermia treatment using said derived temperature information.