Apparatus and method for acquiring a position of a region to be examined

1 . A medical imager, comprising:

a couch configured to receive an object positioned for a medical imaging examination and to be moved into a recording region of the medical imager;

first acquisition circuitry comprising a first sensor configured to acquire a position of a region of the object to be examined for a medical imaging examination;

a projector configured to project and/or display a feedback marking at the acquired position of the region of the object to be examined;

a linear axis positioner configured to move the projector along a longitudinal direction of the couch and independently of the couch,

wherein the linear axis positioner is arranged above the couch and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the couch; and

second acquisition circuitry comprising a second sensor, separate from the first sensor, the second sensor being configured to acquire position data of a medical operator during preparation of the object for the medical imaging examination,

wherein the linear axis positioner is configured to use the acquired position data of the medical operator to move the projector based on a position of the medical operator such that the projector follows the medical operator during the preparation of the object for the medical imaging examination.

2 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the medical imager comprises a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device.

3 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the second sensor has a field of view that comprises a region proximate to the couch.

4 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least one thermal imaging sensor.

5 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second acquisition circuitry comprises field of view manipulation circuitry configured to fade out a region of the couch from the field of view of the second sensor.

6 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the field of view manipulation circuitry is configured to divide and/or deflect the field of view of the second sensor into two partial fields of view.

7 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the field of view manipulation circuitry comprises a mirror system with two acquisition paths, and wherein each acquisition path comprises at least one mirror configured to divert a respective partial field of view.

8 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second acquisition circuitry comprises evaluation circuitry that is configured to evaluate the acquired position data.

9 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second acquisition circuitry comprises a shielding housing.

10 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second acquisition circuitry comprises optical data transfer circuitry configured to transfer an item of position information of the medical operator to the medical imager and/or to the linear axis positioner.

11 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linear axis positioner is configured to move the projector based upon an item of position information ascertained using the acquired position data, the item of position information indicating a linear offset position of the medical operator along the longitudinal direction of the couch, and

wherein the linear axis positioner is configured to move the projector by the linear offset position to follow the medical operator during the preparation of the object for the medical imaging examination.

12 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projector is moved to a position proximate to the medical operator along the longitudinal direction of the couch such that the projector has a reduced traverse path to project the feedback marking at the acquired position of the region of the object to be examined.

13 . The medical imager as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second acquisition circuitry further comprises:

a mirror system having two acquisition paths, each acquisition path comprising a mirror configured to divert a respective partial field of view of the second sensor onto a respective region adjacent to the couch, and

wherein the couch is excluded from the partial fields of view such that the second sensor acquires position data of the medical operator without detecting the object on the couch.

14 . A method, comprising:

acquiring, via first acquisition circuitry comprising a first sensor, a position of a region of an object to be examined for a medical imaging examination via a medical imager;

positioning the object on a couch configured to be moved into a recording region of the medical imager;

acquiring, via second acquisition circuitry comprising a second sensor separate from the first sensor, position data of a medical operator during positioning of the object for the medical imaging examination;

moving, via a linear axis positioner based upon an item of position information of the medical operator ascertained using the acquired position data, a projector in a longitudinal direction of the couch,

wherein the linear axis positioner is configured to use the item of position information of the medical operator to move the projector and independently of the couch based on a position of the medical operator such that the projector follows the medical operator during the positioning of the object for the medical imaging examination;

repeating the steps of positioning the object, acquiring the position data of the medical operator, and moving the projector until the region of the object to be examined is defined via a positioning of a marker element;

acquiring, via the first acquisition circuitry, a position of the marker element; and

projecting and/or displaying, via a projector, a feedback marking at the acquired position of the region of the object to be examined.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a region of the couch is faded out for acquiring the position data of the medical operator in a field of view of the second acquisition circuitry.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a field of view of the second acquisition circuitry is divided and/or deflected for acquiring the position data of the medical operator.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

evaluating, via the second acquisition circuitry, the acquired position data; and

transferring, via optical data transfer circuitry, an ascertained item of position information of the medical operator to a linear axis positioner for positioning the projector.

18 . The method as claimed claim 14 , further comprising:

calculating an examination position of the couch using the acquired position of the region of the object to be examined.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the couch is automatically moved into the examination position for acquisition of medical imaging data of the region of the object to be examined.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a medical imager to:

acquire, via first acquisition circuitry comprising a first sensor, a position of a region of an object to be examined for a medical imaging examination via a medical imager;

position the object on a couch configured to be moved into a recording region of the medical imager;

acquire, via second acquisition circuitry comprising a second sensor separate from the first sensor, position data of a medical operator during positioning of the object for the medical imaging examination;

move, via a linear axis positioner based upon an item of position information of the medical operator ascertained using the acquired position data, a projector in a longitudinal direction of the couch,

wherein the linear axis positioner is configured to use the item of position information of the medical operator to move the projector independently of the couch based on a position of the medical operator such that the projector follows the medical operator during the positioning of the object for the medical imaging examination;

repeat the steps of positioning the object, acquiring the position data of the medical operator, and moving the projector until the region of the object to be examined is defined via a positioning of a marker element;

acquire, via the first acquisition circuitry, a position of the marker element; and

project and/or display, via a projector, a feedback marking at the acquired position of the region of the object to be examined.