AIRIS II OPEN MAGNET

The magnet provides excellent performance for whole body imaging. The innovative open design has an appealingly small footprint,

·        Operating field strength: 0.3T

·        Magnetic field orientation: Vertical

·        Homogeneity: +/- 2ppm (FWHM over a 20cm DSV)

·        Shimming: Passive, as well as three axis per-patient

·        Magnet weight: 34,600 lb.

·        Five gauss fringe field: 6.6 feet lateral and 8.2 feet both longitudinal and vertical from the magnet’s center

AIRIS II GANTRY AND PATIENT HANDLING SYSTEM

The gantry design, incorporating a vertical field magnet, provides a spacious appearance and a comfortable environment for the patient during scanning.

·        Magnet opening: 43cm vertical height

·        Off-center post placement for unrestricted access from all four sides

·        Extra-wide (80cm) table with 500 lb. weight capacity

·        Power driven table movement in all three directions; vertical, horizontal and lateral

·        Manual table-top emergency release

·        Laser light localization in three planes for accurate patient positioning

·        Start scan function available at front, sides and rear of magnet gantry

·        Patient intercom

·        Padded table-top

AIRIS II GRADIENT SYSTEM

The HITACHI-designed and built gradient system provides sub-millimeter in-plane spatial resolution and thin-slice imaging. The pulse-gradient driver’s state-of-the-art digital electronic technology provides high reliability and efficient operation,

·        Gradient strength: l5 mT/m, maximum

·        Slew rate: 20 T/m/s, maximum

·        Completely air cooled gradients

·        Shielding: Passive, to neutralize the effects of eddy currents

·        Eddy current compensation: 1/10th factor, maximum

·        Soft Sound gradients offer extremely low acoustic noise for added patient comfort

 AIRIS II RF SYSTEM

The RF system provides for highly reliable transmission of RF and reception of MR signals. An ultra low-noise pre-amplifier and pre-matched RF coil electronics provide for maximum performance.

·        4 channel QUAD transmitter for uniform excitation

·        5.0 kw transrnitter power amplifier to accommodate even the largest patients

·        0.3 dB ultra-low noise pre-amplifier for high SNR

·        Actively decoupled RF receiver Coils

·        Linear and quadrature detection

·        Auto tuning

AIRIS II RF RECEIVER COIL SET

Open QUAD Head Coil
This spacious quadrature coil design provides high signal-to-noise, which is especially useful for efficient routine brain imaging, as well as high-resolution, thin-slice imaging.

QUAD Extremity Coil
This effective quadrature coil uses a high performance quadrature/solenoid design to provide high signal-to-noise, which is especially useful for high resolution imaging of detailed knee anatomy.

Large Extremity Coil
A high sensitivity design to optimize imaging of shoulders, large knees, thighs and pediatric heads.

Volumetric Neck and Extremity Coil
A high sensitivity solenoid coil for neck and extremity imaging applications. This volumetric coil provides high signal-to-noise and a uniform field of view within the coil’s 20 cm diameter.

Medium QUAD Flexible Spine and Body Notch Coil
This medium spine and body coil (120cm in circumference) combines quadrature RF technology with solenoid coil design for high quality spine and body imaging. The wrap around features offers uniform signal intensity within the selected field-of-view, along with an extended longitudinal coverage for comprehensive lumbar or thoracic spine imaging. Patient comfort and fit is enhanced with the notched, flexible design.

Large QUAD Flexible Spine and Body Notch Coil
This large spine and body coil (150cm in circumference) combines quadrature RP technology with solenoid coil design for high quality spine and body imaging. The wrap around features offers uniform signal intensity within the selected field-of-view, along with an extended longitudinal coverage for comprehensive lumbar or thoracic spine imaging. Patient comfort and fit is enhanced with the notched, flexible design.
 

AIRIS II COMPUTER SYSTEM

The Hitachi designed computer system was developed for use by a single operator. The state-of-the-art performance and graphic user interface (GUI) allows for rapid system operation.

·        Host CPU is a 64 bit, RISC-based UNIX processor

·        512 Mbytes memory

·        Additional processors for pulse sequence control, data acquisition, image reconstruction and image processing

·        <0.ls reconstruction time (256 x 256)

·        Easy-to-use Openwindows-based GUI

·        Multi-tasking operating environment

AIRIS II OPERATOR CONSOLE

The control console provides for straightforward operation through the use of optimized ergonomic component design.

·        21” high resolution color monitor designed and manufactured by HITACHI

·        Mouse input for rapid interaction

·        Keyboard input for direct alpha-numeric response

·        Control panel for patient intercom and emergency stop  

AIRIS II OPERATING SOFTWARE

The operating software configuration allows for easy access to all operator functions including scanning, reconstruction. display/analysis, and archiving.

·        Scan Task Card

o       Scan protocol selection

o       Slice and pre-saturation positioning

o       Display of reconstructed images

·        Viewport Tool

Maneuvering of images such as window/level, cine, ROI and measurement

·      2D Processing Task Card
Performs 2D post-processing functions including Adaptive Reconstruction and
edge enhancement

·      3D Processing Task Card
Performs 3D post-processing functions including MPR and MIP

·      Analysis Task Card
Supports quantitative analysis features

·      Maintenance Task Card
Supports specialized procedures to insure high image quality

AIRIS II IMAGING CAPABILITIES

The image acquisition software provides multiple slice imaging, with the flexibility of user-selectable imaging parameters.

·      Automatic Per-Patient Prescan
Set RF power
Set frequency
Set receiver gain
Set receiver tuning
Perform auto-shim

·      Image Plane Selection
Transverse, sagittal and coronal
Single and double oblique angles
Multiple slice, multiple angle

·      Acquisition Features
2D multislice with contiguous or gapped slices (up to 256 slices)
3D single or multiple slabs (up to 32)
User variable image matrix (64-512 x 64-512)
Maximum of 4 echoes for multiecho sequences
20 slice thickness of 2mm -100mm
3D slice thickness of 0.5mm - 5mm

·      Standard Pulse Sequences
2D Spin Echo (SE)
2D Inversion Recovery (IR)
2D STIR
2D FLAIR
2D Gradient Echo (GE)
2D Dual Slice
3D Spin Echo (SE)
3D Inversion Recovery (IR)
3D Gradient Echo (GE)

·      Steady State Pulse Sequences
2D SARGETM (SG)
2D PP-Spoiled SARGE (RSSG)
2D Time-Reversed SARGE (TRSG)
3D SARGE (SG)
3D RF-Spoiled SARGE (RSSG)
3D Time-Reversed SARGE (TRSG)

·       MR Angiography
2D Time-of-Flight (TOP) 2D TOF with RF Spoiled SARGE (RSSG)
3D Time-of-Flight (TOF)
3D TOF with RF Spoiled SARGE (RSSG)
Sloped Slab Profile (SSP) for reducing through-plane flow saturation
2D TOF with walking pre-saturation to highlight either arterial or venous flow
Compatible with:
Gradient moment nulling for flow compensation
Overlapping 3D slabs
Presaturation (up to 6)
Breath-hold
Cardiac gating
Peripheral pulse gating
Swap frequency/phase direction
2D slice thickness of 2mm -1 00mm
3D slice thickness of 0.5mm - 5mm
Variable flip angle
Half echo
Featuring:
High Resolution/High Definition (HR/HO) reconstruction for increased visualization
of small vascular structures.
Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) processes 2D and 3D acquired images
to calculate projection images with batch or user defined rotations. Includes
selective ROI.

·      Fast Spin Echo
2D Fast Spin Echo (FSE)
2D Fast Inversion Recovery (FIR)
3D Fast Spin Echo (P52)
3D Fast Inversion Recovery (FIR)
FSE STIR
FSE FLAIR
Single contrast (T1, T2 or proton density)
Dual contrast (T2 and proton density)
Compatible with:
Auto bandwidth
Gradient moment nulling for flow compensation
User variable image matrix (128-1024 x 128-512)
2D slice thickness of 2mm -100mm
3D slice thickness of 0.8mm - 5mm
Presaturation
Rectangular FOV
Off-center FOV
Featuring:
User variable echo factor
User variable interecho spacing

·      Protocol Enhancements (compatible with various pulse sequences)
Variable bandwidth
Auto bandwidth
No frequency/phase wrap
Swap frequency/phase direction
Presaturation (up to 6)
Rectangular FOV
Off-center FOV
Gradient moment nulling for flow compensation
Cardiac gating
Peripheral pulse gating
Variable flip angle
Half scan
Half echo

AIRIS II IMAGE PROCESSING/DISPLAY/ANALYSIS

Rapid image handling and precise image manipulation is enabled with the high performance AIRIS II computer system.

·        Image Display

o       Display matrix: 1280 x 1024

o       Variable window level and width adjustment

o       User pre-set window level and width

o       Image acquisition annotation

o       Multiple image display

o       User selectable image layout

o       Reverse Image

·        Image Processing

o       Magnify image

o       Rotate image

o       Edge enhancement with other post processing algorithms

o       Background noise reduction (BNR)

o       Cine and multi-image cine  

·        Image Analysis

o       Distance measure

o       Angle measure

o       Line profile plot

o       Region of interest (ROI)

o       Histogram

·      Adaptive Reconstruction
For enhanced image signal to noise. Adaptive Reconstruction can be programmed
as part of image acquisition process and is user selectable from a predefined set,
or can be executed as a 2D post-processing task  

·      Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP)
Processes 2D and 3D acquired images to calculate projection images with batch
or user defined rotations. Used, for example, with MRCP and MRA.  

·      Expanded Multi-Tasking
The AIRIS II multi-tasking provides simultaneous scan and reconstruction
capabilities. This feature increases Throughput during multiple acquisitions by
eliminating the time interval associated with reconstruction. Other multi-tasking
features include image review, prescribe ahead scan set-up, archive, filming MPR,
MP and network transfers (optional).  

AIRIS II ARCHIVE/INTERFACE

Integral to the AIRIS II operating system is the support of short and long term archive
and digital interface for filming.

·      Image Archive
Magnetic disk: 4 GB storage capacity for over 9800 images (256x256)
Optical disk: 2.6 GB re-writeable storage capacity for over 17,000
images (256x256)  

·      Interface
Digital output and host control of laser imager