Patent ID: 8755863

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, comprising: a magnet having a two opposite and spaced apart poles and a column or wall transverse to the poles and connecting the poles; the poles defining two opposite walls delimiting a patient-imaging space, the two opposite walls extending along parallel planes which are perpendicular to a vertical plane; the magnet being supported rotatably along a central horizontal axis of the transverse wall or column, the central horizontal axis of the transverse wall or column thereby defining an axis of rotation passing between the two poles of the magnet; a drive provided for rotating the magnet about the axis; a patient positioning table being connected to the magnet such that the table rotates with the magnet when the magnet rotates about said axis of rotation; the magnet and the table being rotatable from a position in which the poles and the table are horizontal to a position in which the table and the poles are vertical, and vice versa; and the rotation of the table and the magnet are locked together by a lock; wherein the table is mounted on a pole of the magnet which is lower of the two poles when horizontal by first guides oriented in the longitudinal direction of the table and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the magnet, in which first guides the table engages with complementary slides; and further comprising second guides at opposite transverse ends of the pole to which the table is secured, wherein said second guides are oriented perpendicular to the first guides and parallel to the axis of rotation of the magnet, the first guides are engaged in the second guides by slides which are secured to the first guides while the table is displaced transverse to its longitudinal axis by a motor activating a pinion which engages a rack which is secured to the first guides and which is parallel to the second guides.