BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides an important imaging modality for numerous applications and is widely utilized in clinical and research settings to produce images of the inside of the human body. As a generality, MRI is based on detecting magnetic resonance (MR) signals, which are electromagnetic waves emitted by atoms in response to state changes resulting from applied electromagnetic fields. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques involve detecting MR signals emitted from the nuclei of excited atoms upon the re-alignment or relaxation of the nuclear spin of atoms in an object being imaged (e.g., atoms in the tissue of the human body). Detected MR signals may be processed to produce images, which in the context of medical applications, allows for the investigation of internal structures and/or biological processes within the body for diagnostic, therapeutic and/or research purposes.

MRI provides an attractive imaging modality for biological imaging due to the ability to produce non-invasive images having relatively high resolution and contrast without the safety concerns of other modalities (e.g., without needing to expose the subject to ionizing radiation, e.g., x-rays, or introducing radioactive material to the body). Additionally, MRI is particularly well suited to provide soft tissue contrast, which can be exploited to image subject matter that other imaging modalities are incapable of satisfactorily imaging. Moreover, MR techniques are capable of capturing information about structures and/or biological processes that other modalities are incapable of acquiring. However, there are a number of drawbacks to MRI that, for a given imaging application, may involve the relatively high cost of the equipment, limited availability and/or difficulty in gaining access to clinical MRI scanners and/or the length of the image acquisition process.

The trend in clinical MRI has been to increase the field strength of MRI scanners to improve one or more of scan time, image resolution, and image contrast, which, in turn, continues to drive up costs. The vast majority of installed MRI scanners operate at 1.5 or 3 tesla (T), which refers to the field strength of the main magnetic field B0. A rough cost estimate for a clinical MRI scanner is approximately one million dollars per tesla, which does not factor in the substantial operation, service, and maintenance costs involved in operating such MRI scanners.

Additionally, conventional high-field MRI systems typically require large superconducting magnets and associated electronics to generate a strong uniform static magnetic field (B0) in which an object (e.g., a patient) is imaged. The size of such systems is considerable with a typical MRI installment including multiple rooms for the magnet, electronics, thermal management system, and control console areas. The size and expense of MRI systems generally limits their usage to facilities, such as hospitals and academic research centers, which have sufficient space and resources to purchase and maintain them. The high cost and substantial space requirements of high-field MRI systems results in limited availability of MRI scanners. As such, there are frequently clinical situations in which an MRI scan would be beneficial, but due to one or more of the limitations discussed above, is not practical or is impossible, as discussed in further detail below.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments include a patient handling apparatus configured to facilitate positioning a patient within a magnetic resonance imaging device, the patient handling apparatus comprising a patient support having a surface adapted to be positioned between the patient and a bed so that, when positioned, the surface of the patient support is underneath at least a portion of the patient's body, and a securing portion comprising at least one first releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with a radio frequency component to secure the radio frequency component to the securing portion, and at least one second releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with the magnetic resonance imaging device to secure the securing portion to the magnetic resonance imaging device.

Some embodiment include a helmet configured to accommodate a patient's head during magnetic resonance imaging, the helmet comprising at least one radio frequency transmit and/or receive coil, and at least one first releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with a member attached to a magnetic resonance imaging system at a location such that, when the at least one securing mechanism engages with the member, the helmet is positioned within the imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Some embodiments include a helmet configured to accommodate a patient's head during magnetic resonance imaging, the helmet comprising at least one radio frequency transmit and/or receive coil, at least one first releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with a member of the magnetic resonance imaging system such that, when the at least one securing mechanism engages with the member, the at least one securing mechanism resists translation of the helmet relative to the cooperating member, and at least one second securing mechanism configured to, when engaged with a cooperating portion of the member, prevent rotation of the helmet about the member.

Some embodiments include a magnetic resonance imaging system capable of imaging a patient at least partially supported by a support comprising ferromagnetic material, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising at least one first B0magnet to produce a first magnetic field to contribute to a B0magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, the B0magnetic field having a field strength of less than or equal to 0.2 T, at least one second B0magnet to produce a second magnetic field to contribute to the B0magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the at least one first B0magnet and the at least one second B0magnet are arranged relative to one another so that an imaging region is provided there between, and a member configured to engage with a releasable securing mechanism of a radio frequency coil apparatus, the member attached to the magnetic resonance imaging between the at least one first B0magnet and the at least one second B0magnet at a location so that, when the member is engaged with the releasable securing mechanism of the radio frequency coil apparatus, the radio frequency coil apparatus is secured to the magnetic resonance imaging system substantially within the imaging region.

Some embodiments include a magnetic resonance imaging system capable of imaging a patient at least partially supported by a support comprising ferromagnetic material, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising at least one first B0magnet to produce a first magnetic field to contribute to a B0magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, the B0magnetic field having a field strength of less than or equal to 0.2 T, at least one second B0magnet to produce a second magnetic field to contribute to the B0magnetic field for the magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the at least one first B0magnet and the at least one second B0magnet are arranged relative to one another so that an imaging region is provided there between, and a member configured to engage with a releasable securing mechanism of a patient handling apparatus configured to secure a radio frequency coil apparatus, the member attached to the magnetic resonance imaging between the at least one first B0magnet and the at least one second B0magnet at a location so that, when the member is engaged with the releasable securing mechanism of the patient handling apparatus, the radio frequency coil secured to the patient handling apparatus is positioned substantially within the imaging region.

Some embodiments include a method, comprising releasably securing a support to a magnetic resonance imaging device so as to facilitate magnetic resonance imaging of a patient, the support disposed between the patient and a standard medical bed.

Some embodiments include a method comprising positioning a portion of anatomy of a patient within an imaging region of a magnetic resonance imaging system while the patient is at least partially supported by a standard medical bed, and acquiring at least one magnetic resonance image of the portion of the anatomy of the patient while the patient is at least partially supported by the standard medical bed.

Some embodiments include an apparatus for imaging a foot, the apparatus comprising at least one housing configured to accommodate a patient's foot during magnetic resonance imaging, at least one radio frequency transmit and/or receive coil, and at least one first releasable securing mechanism configured to engage with a member attached to a magnetic resonance imaging system at a location such that, when the at least one securing mechanism engages with the member, the apparatus is positioned within the imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Some embodiments include an apparatus for imaging a foot, the apparatus comprising at least one radio frequency transmit and/or receive coil, and at least one housing configured to accommodate a patient's foot during magnetic resonance imaging, the at least one housing tilted at an angle relative to a vertical axis

Some embodiments include a bridge adapted for attachment to a magnetic resonance imaging system and configured to facilitate positioning a patient within the magnetic resonance imaging system, the bridge comprising a support having a surface configured to support at least a portion of the patient, the support being movable between an up position and a down position, wherein the surface is substantially vertical in the up position and substantially horizontal in the down position, a hinge configured to allow the support to be moved from the up position to the down position and vice versa, and a base configured to attach the bridge to the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Some embodiments include a magnetic resonance imaging system comprising a B0magnet configured to generate a magnetic field suitable for magnetic resonance imaging, a conveyance mechanism configured to allow the magnetic resonance imaging system to be moved to different locations, and a bridge configured to facilitate positioning a patient within the magnetic resonance imaging system, the bridge comprising a support having a surface configured to support at least a portion of the patient, the support being movable between an up position and a down position, wherein the surface is substantially vertical in the up position and substantially horizontal in the down position, a hinge configured to allow the support to be moved from the up position to the down position and vice versa, and a base attaching the bridge to the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Some embodiments include a method of imaging a portion of anatomy of a patient while the patient is at least partially supported by a standard medical bed, the method comprising positioning a magnetic resonance imaging system and the bed proximate one another, moving a bridge attached to the magnetic resonance imaging system from a vertical position to a horizontal position so that the bridge overlaps a portion of the bed, positioning the patient via the bridge so that the portion of anatomy of the patient is within an imaging region of the magnetic resonance imaging system, and acquiring at least one magnetic resonance image of the portion of the anatomy of the patient while the patient is at least partially supported by the bed and at least partially supported by the bridge.

