Patent ID: 8390290

Claim:
A device for determining a position of at least one local coil that is selectively placed at a location on a patient bed of a magnetic resonance apparatus, for which location a position of the local coil relative to the patient bed is not known with specificity, comprising: an optical coil marker configured for attachment to the local coil; an optical sensor device that detects said optical coil marker and that emits measurement data associated with detection of said optical coil marker, said optical sensor device having a field of view that encompasses said optical coil marker on said local coil and at least a portion of a surface of the patient bed, said surface being configured for placement of a patient thereon; a computer supplied with said measurement data from said optical sensor device, said computer being configured to automatically determine said position of the local coil relative to the patient bed from said measurement data; and a control unit that operates the magnetic resonance apparatus, said computer being a component of said control unit.