US 11,914,012 B2
Brain measurement apparatus and brain measurement method
Takenori Oida, Hamamatsu (JP); Takahiro Moriya, Hamamatsu (JP); Akinori Saito, Hamamatsu (JP); Motohiro Suyama, Hamamatsu (JP); and Tetsuo Kobayashi, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K., Hamamatsu (JP); and Kyoto University, Kyoto (JP)
Filed by HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K., Hamamatsu (JP); and Kyoto University, Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/346,468.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-103967 (JP), filed on Jun. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0389400 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 5/245 (2021.01); A61B 5/055 (2006.01); G01R 33/26 (2006.01); G01R 33/48 (2006.01); G01R 33/032 (2006.01); G01R 33/421 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); G01R 33/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 33/4806 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0042 (2013.01); A61B 5/055 (2013.01); A61B 5/245 (2021.01); A61B 5/6803 (2013.01); G01R 33/0017 (2013.01); G01R 33/032 (2013.01); G01R 33/26 (2013.01); G01R 33/4215 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0223 (2013.01); A61B 2562/182 (2013.01); G01R 33/0076 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A brain measurement apparatus, comprising:
a magnetoencephalograph including multiple optically pumped magnetometers configured to measure a brain's magnetic field, multiple magnetic sensors for static magnetic field cancellation configured to measure a static magnetic field at a position of each of the multiple optically pumped magnetometers, and a static magnetic field nulling coil for canceling the static magnetic field;
an MRI apparatus including a permanent magnet for applying a static magnetic field, a gradient magnetic field coil for applying a gradient magnetic field, a transmission coil for transmitting a transmission pulse having a predetermined frequency, and a receive coil for detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated by the transmission of the transmission pulse; and
a controller configured to, when measuring the brain's magnetic field, control a current to be supplied to the static magnetic field nulling coil based on measured values of the multiple magnetic sensors for static magnetic field cancellation and operate so as to cancel a static geomagnetic field and a static magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet at the position of each of the multiple optically pumped magnetometers and, when measuring an MR image, control the gradient magnetic field by controlling a current to be supplied to the gradient magnetic field coil and generate an MR image based on an output of the receive coil.
 
11. A brain measurement method using a magnetoencephalograph including multiple optically pumped magnetometers configured to measure a brain's magnetic field, multiple magnetic sensors for static magnetic field cancellation configured to measure a static magnetic field at a position of each of the multiple optically pumped magnetometers, and a static magnetic field nulling coil for canceling the static magnetic field and an MRI apparatus including a permanent magnet for applying a static magnetic field, a gradient magnetic field coil for applying a gradient magnetic field, a transmission coil for transmitting a transmission pulse having a predetermined frequency, and a receive coil for detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated by the transmission of the transmission pulse, the method comprising:
when measuring the brain's magnetic field, controlling a current to be supplied to the static magnetic field nulling coil based on measured values of the multiple magnetic sensors for static magnetic field cancellation and operating so as to cancel a static geomagnetic field and a static magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet at the position of each of the multiple optically pumped magnetometers; and
when measuring an MR image, controlling the gradient magnetic field by controlling a current to be supplied to the gradient magnetic field coil and generating an MR image based on an output of the receive coil.