US 11,733,338 B2
MRI phantom including MRI compatible temperature measurement device and pressure expansion bladder device
Anthony P. Zuccolotto, Freeport, PA (US); John Dzikiy, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Leroy K. Basler, Irwin, PA (US); Benjamin A. Rodack, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Walter Schneider, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Sudhir K. Pathak, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Michael A. Boss, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Assigned to PSYCHOLOGY SOFTWARE TOOLS, INC, Sharpsburg, PA (US); and UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH—OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Psychology Software Tools, Inc., Sharpsburg, PA (US); and University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed on Jun. 17, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/443,323.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/846,223, filed on May 10, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/685,994, filed on Jun. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0383895 A1, Dec. 19, 2019
Int. Cl. G01R 33/58 (2006.01); G01R 33/48 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 33/58 (2013.01) [G01R 33/4804 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An MRI phantom having at least one disc comprising test points for calibration and validation and an MRI compatible temperature measurement device coupled to the at least one disc and having an MRI compatible body containing an MRI compatible fluid, wherein the temperature measurement device is configured for accurate temperature measurement within an MR Scanner environment using image processing of a contrast in signal obtained by the MR Scanner environment between areas of an MR image of the MRI phantom around the temperature measurement device and the MRI compatible fluid contained within the MRI compatible body of the temperature measurement device, wherein the MRI compatible body includes a bulb at one end of the MRI compatible body, wherein said bulb is a reservoir for the MRI compatible fluid, wherein the MRI compatible body includes a capillary formed as a long cylindrical tube that is connected to the bulb, wherein the MRI compatible body includes an expansion chamber, wherein the capillary ends in the expansion chamber, wherein as temperature increases, the MRI compatible fluid flows up the capillary, and wherein the capillary is sized whereby an MRI compatible fluid thermal expansion per rate of temperature change of the MRI compatible fluid within the capillary is at least 1 mm per degree Celsius change.