Patent ID: 8519711

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a static magnetic field generating unit configured to generate a static magnetic field to a subject inserted into an imaging space; a gradient magnetic field generating unit configured to generate a gradient magnetic field to the subject; a transmitting unit configured to transmit a radio frequency pulse to the subject to generate a nuclear magnetic resonance signal; an image data producing unit configured to generate a tomographic image of the subject based on the nuclear magnetic resonance signal; a detecting unit configured to detect a change in temperature in the imaging space from outside of the imaging space; a judging unit configured to judge whether the imaging space has a point at a temperature greater than a threshold; and a controller configured to control the gradient magnetic field generating unit to stop generating the gradient magnetic field to the subject in the case that the judging unit judges the imaging space has a point at a temperature greater than the threshold; wherein the detecting unit includes a thermographic imaging unit, and the thermographic imaging unit outputs an image that changes in color with changes in temperature, the image showing the change in temperature of the imaging space including the subject; and wherein the judging unit calculates a difference value between a first image and a second image, the first image and the second image being taken at predetermined time intervals by the thermographic imaging unit, and recognizes an increase in temperature; and the control unit controls the gradient magnetic field generating unit to stop generating the gradient magnetic field to the subject in the case that the increase in temperature exceeds the threshold.