Patent ID: 7378844

Claim:
A magnetic resonance (MR) system for generating signals representative of information about an object, the MR system comprising: at least one MR detector configured to sense a plurality of analog signals generated within a shielded environment; a digitizing circuit configured for converting the analog signals to digital optical signals; wherein the MR detector and digitizing circuit are located solely within the shielded environment; and a first transmission element comprising an optical conduit disposed solely within the shielded environment and that is configured for transmitting the plurality of digital optical signals to a plurality of electronic devices disposed solely within the shielded environment; wherein a plurality of digital optical signal is transmitted from the plurality of electronic devices to a processor outside the shielded environment using a second transmission element comprising at least one optical fiber in response to the digital optical signals transmitted from the digitizing circuit to the plurality of electronic devices, and wherein the processor is configured to receive and process the digital optical signals received by the processor to generate the information about the object.