RF coil with integrated vital signs detector
A radio frequency (RF) transmit—receive coil for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes an integrated vital signs detector for the detection of vital signs of a patient within the MR imaging system. The coil includes a contactless sensor system for monitoring vital signs, which makes it easier to measure vital signs of the patient.
1. A radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, the RF transmit-receive coil comprising:
a vital signs detector for the detection of vital signs of a patient within the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, wherein the vital signs detector is integrated in the RF transmit-receive coil, wherein a pair of electrically conducting coil elements of the RF transmit-receive coil forms the vital signs detector, wherein the vital signs detector is a capacitive vital signs detector, the capacitive vital signs detector being adapted for receiving capacitive vital signs signals wherein the vital signs detector is configured to measure the respiration and/or cardiac activity and wherein the capacitive vital signs detector is an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor being adapted for receiving ECG signals.
2. The radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil of claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrically conducting coil elements are covered with a material having a high permittivity.
3. The radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil of claim 1 , wherein the capacitive vital signs detector and the RF transmit-receive coil are configured to process the capacitive vital signs signal and an MRI signal acquired by the RF transmit-receive coil in different frequency spaces.
4. The radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil of claim 1 , wherein the vital signs detector is arranged beneath a patient support of a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system.
5. A system for the detection of vital signs of a patient within a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, the system comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil with a vital signs detector according to claim 1 , the system further comprising an output pre-amplifier for amplifying the capacitive vital signs signals, wherein the pair of electrically conducting coil elements is coupled to the output pre-amplifier, the system further comprising a digital signal processor, wherein the digital signal processor being adapted for further processing the amplified capacitive vital signs signals.
6. The system according of claim 5 , wherein the digital signal processor is a software defined radio.
7. The system according to claim 5 , comprising a relaxation oscillator and/or a microcontroller for the capacitive vital signs signals detection.
8. The system of claim 5 , comprising a multiplexer for switching between different pairs of electrically conducting coil elements of the RF transmit-receive coil forming the vital signs detector.
9. A software package for upgrading a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the software package contains instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a radio frequency (RF) receiver system comprising a vital signs detector according to claim 8 .
10. A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system comprising a system for the detection of vital signs of a patient according to claim 1 .
11. A method for operating the system for the detection of vital signs of a patient within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system according to claim 4 comprising the following steps:
providing a radio frequency transmit-receive coil comprising a vital signs detector, wherein the radio frequency transmit-receive coil and the vital signs detector form a magnetic resonance imaging coil array,
receiving at least one vital signs signal from the vital signs detector,
receiving at least one MRI signal from the radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coil,
performing a correction of the MRI signal based on the vital signs signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, the performing a correction of the MRI signal based on the vital signs signal includes a correction based on a deep learning algorithm.
13. A software package for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, wherein the software package includes instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a system for the detection of vital signs of a patient within a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system according to claim 11 .