SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF INFANTS
Provided herein are systems, devices, and methods to facilitate imaging an infant using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. A system for facilitating imaging an infant using an MRI device is provided herein, the system comprising a radio frequency (RF) coil assembly configured to be coupled to the MRI device and comprising a first RF coil configured to transmit RF signals during MRI and/or be responsive to MR signals generated during MRI and a helmet for supporting at least a portion of the infant's head, and an infant support to support at least a portion of the infant's body and configured to be coupled to the RF coil assembly. Further provided is an apparatus for coupling an infant support to an MRI device.
1 . An apparatus for coupling an infant support to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the infant support comprising a base and arms coupled to the base, the apparatus comprising:
a body;
outer arms coupled to the body and configured to receive arms of the infant support; and
inner arms coupled to the body and configured to couple the apparatus to the MRI device.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a notch, the notch complementary to a protrusion of the infant support.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a protrusion, the protrusion complementary to a notch of the infant support.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer arms comprise guides for receiving the arms of the infant support.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
wings coupled to the body and disposed at least partially above the guides; and
wherein the wings and guides together form first and second receiving portions for receiving the arms of the infant support, the first and second receiving portions being configured such that the arms of the infant support are inserted into the first and second receiving portions below the wings and along the guides.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein distal ends of the guides are configured to receive a respective snap disposed at distal ends of the arms of the infant support.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner arms comprise a contact configured to be received by a groove of the MRI device.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the MRI device comprises a helmet base, the helmet base comprising the groove, and the contacts of the inner arms are configured be received by the groove of the helmet base to couple the apparatus to the helmet base.
9 . A system configured to facilitate imaging of an infant using a magnetic resonance (MRI) device, the system comprising:
an infant support for supporting the infant during imaging by the MRI device, the infant support comprising:
a tray for positioning the infant thereon along a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the tray; and
a base coupled to the tray, the base comprising arms extending outward from the base in a direction along the longitudinal axis distal to the base; and
an apparatus for coupling the infant support to the MRI device comprising:
a body;
outer arms coupled to the body and configured to receive the arms of the infant support; and
inner arms coupled to the body and configured to couple to the apparatus to the MRI device.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus comprises a notch and the infant support comprises a protrusion configured to be received by the notch.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the infant support comprises a notch and the apparatus comprises a protrusion configured to be received by the notch.
12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the outer arms comprise guides for receiving the arms of the infant support.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
wings coupled to the body and disposed at least partially above the guides; and
wherein the wings and guides together form first and second receiving portions for receiving the arms of the infant support, the first and second receiving portions being configured such that the arms of the infant support are inserted into the first and second receiving portions below the wings and along the guides.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein:
distal ends of the arms comprise snaps; and
distal ends of the guides are configured to receive a respective one of the snaps.
15 . An apparatus for coupling an infant support to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the infant support comprising a base and arms coupled to the base, the apparatus comprising:
a body;
guides coupled to the body; and
wings coupled to the body and disposed at least partially above the guides, wherein the wings and guides together form first and second receiving portions for receiving the arms of the infant support, the first and second receiving portions being configured such that the arms of the infant support are inserted into the first and second receiving portions below the wings and along the guides.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the body comprises a notch, the notch complementary to a protrusion of the infant support.
17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the body comprises a protrusion, the protrusion complementary to a notch of the infant support.
18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein distal ends of the guides are configured to receive a respective snap disposed at distal ends of the arms of the infant support.
19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising inner arms coupled to the body and configured to couple the apparatus to the MRI device, each of the inner arms comprising a contact configured to be received by a groove of the MRI device.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the MRI device comprises a helmet base, the helmet base comprising the groove, and the contacts of the inner arms are configured be received by the groove of the helmet base to couple the apparatus to the helmet base.